This place is packed right now. I'm really not a boba drink type of guy. I usually get some sort f flavored tea. Passion fruit/lilikoi green tea was my choice this time. They make it pretty good here. a little different from starbucks as you can taste more of the tea, but sweet enough to get the fruity flavor. It's #129 on the board. You can choose black or green tea. read more

I have had a long-standing dislike for tapioca express due to my bad experiences and not so great milk tea at other locations. You can say I was more than a little surprised when I was searching for a milk tea place close to home to satisfy the milk tea craving when this one popped up on yelp with 4 stars. And it definitely didn't disappoint! I came here on a Saturday afternoon with the boyfriend and the place was PACKED. There was a line (not terribly long or anything but it definitely caught me by surprise) and there were quite a bit of people enjoying their drinks in the store. I had a large thai tea with pearls and it came out to be around $4 which is decently priced. Remember to say that you are getting the drink TO GO so that you don't have to pay tax! The drink itself was just the right amount of sweetness and the pearls were so nice and soft. I still can't believe just how great it was coming from Tapex! Another thing that's great about this place is that besides their usual drinks and snacks, they also had GELATO! I have never been to a Tapex that sold gelato and although I didn't get any this time, there were quite a bit of flavors to choose from including strawberry, mango, coffee, cookie dough, raspberry, etc. Next time I come here, I'll be trying that along with getting another one of their delicious drinks! (: read more

The way they make their drinks are pretty consistent. Good flavor and the boba is perfect. Lines are always long so you know it's good! The only drawback is the fact that this is a hangout. Lots of people outside smoking. Not cool when you have kids with you. read more

Dirtiest place I've ever been to (i.e. tables and bathroom) but they have the best tapioca milk tea, pepper crispy chicken and pepper crispy oyster! Their employees are also very polite and the customer service is up to par for the type of business they are. read more

the drinks are really bomb and the dumplings are hella good. and I really recommend going to this place it's really addicting. You can eat it for a little snack. read more

In my opinion, Tapioca Express is really overrated. It's always crowded, and isn't worth your time or money. Even though the drinks are cheaper than the other boba shops, it tastes terrible. I've tried most of their drinks and every time, it always leaves this bad aftertaste. I can even taste the powder they use for flavoring the milk teas. The only item that's decent is the popcorn chicken. However, if you order it with spice, it will be very inconsistent. Their customer service is just ok. Overall, just save your money and go to one of the other boba shops around Union City. I suggest Sharetea and Snocrave Teahouse. read more

Food and drinks is good. But the customer service is horrible. The lady on the cashier is very rude to us. She's not polite at all and when we asked for ice water, she declined and said "no ice! Only water!". This kind of customer service is bad for this business. Especially when the products they're selling is great. read more

If i could give 0 stars i would. I been coming here for years but wow the lady working at the register seems miserable with her life, i get it people go through things sometimes but this is too much. I ordered pepper crispy chicken for my kids and for the first time i saw a strand of hair in it. I tried to go up to her politely to ask for another one but ofcourse i was still pissed about the strand of hair at the same time. So she had it replaced but only half full (the same amount that was in there when i gave it back). Who does that?? On top of that she just leaves it on the counter without so much as a call. Im now assuming here but it seems as if they think i planted the hair there. Im feeding it to my kids now why would i do that?? And you think i would atleast get some type of apology right? Nope she had the body language as if she was the one who had the right to be mad and not me. Yea as much as i like it here will have to say i will never come back knowing theres a chance shes gonna be there. read more

Pretty good drinks at good prices! They have a wide variety of Pearl Tea drinks and some small food dishes. I had a lychee soda which was refreshing for the summer heat in Union City. But it was pretty sweet too. I was lucky I came here on a Sunday afternoon, so it wasn't crowded at all. I could see this place being a mad house when its school time. The service was very nice and quick. There is also free internet access which are all pluses. read more

Definitly not the place it used to be, I used to go here awhile back with alot of my friends and this place used to be packed with people, now its slow and dirty, the floor in front is black due to how many people just hang up and smoke outside, The drinks are still good and up to par, defitly not a place to get coffee as it tasts like water. read more

I love their chicken! it was the right amount of spice and warm enough for me to eat..YUM!! I'm going back every time to eat that now.

Love love LOVE this place! I've been to other Tap Ex's, but I consider this location the best. I've tried the other franchises, but I always come back to this particular one. So mahy choices, can get them hot or cold, yummy snacks. My favorites... Warm Taro Milk Tea, Mango Yogurt, regular Milk Tea, Thai Tea, Vanilla Chai, Crispy Chicken Steak, Fried Mushrooms, and a few others I can't think of right now. The best!!! read more

I moved to Oakland and still come back to this place. They have perfect boba every time. The location is near a high school, so after 3pm during the week it can be inundated with loud, "Look at me!" teens. The barley milk tea is one of my favorites. Also try the spicy fried mushrooms and the watermelon fruit juice. read more

Refreshing Boba! #4 chicken is the bomb! Can be bit busy at times...but worth the wait.

99% of the time, the pearls here are soft, which means they're damn good pearls. Most of the other Tapioca Expresses or Quickly's I go to have tough pearls. They do a good job with their milk tea, flavored milk teas, snow bubbles, and the snow bubble without the milk.. forgot the name lol. The bento boxes are O-K, but I'll stick to the small bag of crispy chicken/calamari. This is definitely the place to go for pearls that won't be frozen hard once you get your drink. read more

Pretty far the best tapioca drinks. I prefer this place over Quickly. Just sayin'. This might sound boring, but I usually get Honey Dew. My fav(: read more

This is my hang out place to be at every week~ Never get tired of their milk tea and chrispy chicken~~Eat it every week~ and don't forget to try their new Oolong Green Milk Tea! is super good!!! Another option for the chrispy chicken... I also love to order their popcorn fish! Taste so good as well~!! read more

Avocado snow bubble and fried chicken is to die for...and teh quantity is not bad either..just don't forget to get cash...i just love love this place... this place deserves a 100 stars !!! read more

My go to boba place if I'm in the area. I've been going to this Tap Ex since high school and continue to go here 5+ years later. The quality and consistency of the drinks here is unmatched to any of the other Tap Ex's in the area which is why I continue to frequent this location. They are almost always busy especially on weekdays when high school/middle schoolers get out so expect a line, often going outside the door but the service is pretty quick so usually the wait isn't too bad. I've gotten a variety of drinks here and they've all been pretty solid but some of my favorites include the classic Tapioca Milk Tea, Strawberry Milk Tea, and Strawberry Banana Snow. If you don't know what to order, I'd definitely suggest the Combo A, which includes a Tapioca Milk Tea and order of their crispy popcorn chicken which is very tasty. read more

So, I have been going to Tapioca Express for as long as I can remember. Each location around the Bay Area is slightly different from the rest, but every one has a common theme. You know what I'm talking about? The long list of various drinks covering the entire wall from Jelly Juices to Milk Teas. Then, the photographs of the different meals hanging on the walls that you could choose from, if you decide that you need something to compliment your beverage. I don't think I need to explain how good the food and drinks are because at every visit to this location, it has been pretty consistent. Not to mention the incoming traffic of people who walk in and out of those doors, and the line that stretches from the register, to the entrance. So why the three stars? Well, just yesterday, I had a craving for "Boba." I had arrived at about six o'clock and placed my order for an Earl Grey Milk Tea and Spicy Chicken. As most of you who are familiar with these establishments, you should already know that it is CA$H ONLY! Not a big deal, I pay for my food and have a seat. As I am sitting down, waiting for my order, a lady from the restaurant starts sweeping under my feet. I think nothing of it so I politely move to a different table, away from the lady. As soon as my order was ready, I couldn't help but wanting to eat my food right away, so I decided to dine-in. As I was enjoying my meal, the same lady is mopping the floor! The smell of bleach was so over powering, that a few patrons walked out. The scent of bleach and my chicken made me nauseous. As hungry as I was, I couldn't eat another bite of my food, so I left. I can understand if someone had dropped a drink on the floor, then yeah, you can use a mop or paper towels. But, there was no mess! The day that this happened, there were full of customers. Having to maneuver a mop around chairs, tables and peoples feet is unacceptable. A task like this should be done when the restaurant is closed! As much as I love Tapioca Express, I was very disappointed with this incident. Will I ever come back again to this location? Maybe? But if I do, I'm definitely taking my food to-go. read more

Great hang out spot in Union City. I've been coming here for about 10 years and I plan to keep going. It's near my house, the milk tea is great, it has outdoor seating, well lit parking lot. Only complaint is that the line tends to get long here. read more

Passion fruit snow bubbles and spicy chicken are the best! Would give 5 stars but they don't accept credit card. Otherwise not too long of a wait, despite the long lines. Great place! read more

Love going to this place and getting my jasmine milk tea, half sweet. My son loves it too

I love this place for their drinks and food, but the service is always TERRIBLE. Today specifically our server Sandy would not acknowledge a word I said until I mistakenly said "I would like a honey tea with boba" then she immediately became sarcastically confused. "Um we dont have that? We don't have anything like that?? What do you mean???". I corrected myself with "Sorry, I meant a honey MILK tea with boba". Then she makes me repeat my whole order because she didn't catch what I said. After I paid she, again, did not say anything and stuck my card and receipt in my face while she took the next order! read more

I ordered Thai milk tea, service was fast . They have good and big menu with lot of options. Will definitely going to come again.

There's usually a long line during the weekends. They have one of the best popcorn chicken in the Bay Area. There're 5 levels of spiciness. Level 2 feels like medium spicy already (in a good way). Their milk tea is usually more sweet than other tea shops. You can always adjust the sweetness level of your drink here. read more

More expensive than other Tapioca Express. Cashier lacking personality. Drinks are good.

My all time favorite place to get some nice munchies and some good ol milk tea. Really chill environment and even though the lines can get pretty long on fri/sat nights, you still end up getting your order really fast! This place has forever won my business read more

Good tea's & alright service, the rose tea has pieces of pink stuff that isn't good but the prices are good. They are coming out with a lot of new items & the food is great to. read more

The senior worker refused to separate the to-go shaved ice from the topping even i meantion that i'll pay for the extra container. We know that the time is made by shaving-ice then adding toppings separately. So there's no extra job for my request. It's happened on a off-peak afternoon with nobody in the line after me. Just don't get it why she makes hard time to customer. read more

I'm always here. That's how great this place is... I always order the crispy chicken or popcorn chicken (whatever chicken you want to call it. It's chicken.) with milk tea. Sometimes the milk tea taste a little watered down but that's ok!:0 THE CHICKEN MAKES UP FOR IT. The lines are really long depending on what time you go... Just kidding the line goes out the door;-;. The atmosphere is lively and if you want a place to hangout with friends this is one of my highly recommended places. If you're ever in the area make sure you stop by and check it out!:) read more

This is the only boba place that I have found that uses REAL tea and NOT POWDER! It's beyond amazing. The drinks here are just different from any other boba place. I recommend the String Beans! It does justice! The workers here are also very nice and helpful. Iris was very welcoming and warm. Thank you for the wonderful experience! read more

i love their white chocolate mocha coffee with pearls it's the best refreshing drink! I just tried the spicy chicken last night it's also good. read more

Popcorn chicken combo, hot level of 2 with a milk tea $6. Typically a 10-15 min wait. Avoid after school hours. The plaza is right next to James Logan High School so the wait time can get very long. read more

The drinks tastes about the same as other places using the powdery stuff if not more watered down. The majority of the people here are boppers, hipster wannabes, middle school and high school kids, and questionable people. Do not come here if you aren't one of those people I just mentioned and want a place to chill while drinking your boba. A long time ago when I visited, there were some people out front smoking on weed. Another time I saw some middle school looking kid hanging around here with a dslr around his neck and never turning it on. His parents came to pick him up later. (I know there's nothing to take photos of here buy at least use the camera if you're going to lug it around.) read more

TapEx is like a siren that beckons me to visit with its sugary goodness. The Union City Tapioca Express has the largest selection of drinks around, much larger than some of its other outlets like the one in San Leandro. When I looked at the menu today, I noticed that there are over 300 items on their big, bright orange and green panels. That's a lot of drink and boba/jelly combinations. This place is generally busy, especially with teenagers during the school year. There's generally a line, but it does go fast. There usually isn't a place to sit because this place is popular with teens and it's a very small space, but if you do manage to find one, they're clean and well maintained. There are several Chinese magazines and manga to read, and a few old English manga as well. The bathroom is ok, but considering its high usage, it could be worse. There are a few tables outside to use, but they're not covered and get a lot of sunlight. That's not too good if you happen to be very pale and are prone to sunburns. In addition to the selection at this Tapioca Express, I really appreciate that they offer a rewards program. If you buy 10 drinks, you get one free. The other milk tea places I've gone to, like Quickly, don't offer that. The snack selection is not that healthy, but then again, you're probably not going to TapEx if you're trying to watch your calorie intake. If sugar is your thing, I highly recommend the Black Sugar Milk Tea. If you like things a bit more bitter, their Rose Milk Tea is quite delicious as well. The boba is always fresh and stays that way for about a day. Their Snows are also quite good and I find the Peach one very refreshing on a hot day. Parking is always difficult to find here because TapEx is situated right next to several Chinese, Vietnamese and a Japanese restaurant in a large strip mall area. On the weekends, getting in and out of the mall can be difficult, especially during lunch and dinner time. They don't accept credit cards, only debit cards (minimum $20 purchase & a $.49 surcharge) and cash. Still, I highly recommend this location to those who enjoy bubble tea. read more

My kids favorite treat is a Snow Bubble with pearls. I would recommend to any one on a hot day.

I used to come here every week (sometimes two to three times a week), but thinking about how much money I've been spending, I have been keeping the visit to once in a while. So far I have tried their Lavendar Milk Tea, Rose Milk Tea, Taro Milk Tea, Cookie Snow Bubble and Jade Peach Green Tea. All their drinks were overly sweet for me, but that is just my preference. I am not a fan of sweets so I tend to prefer sometimes with a bitter taste and slightly sweet. Lately, I've been trying their crispy chicken and fried calamari. Their spicy level goes from Level 0 - 5 and you can even make it halves. Whenever my friend comes here for her crispy chicken, she would go for Level 0.5 since she's not a fan of spicy food but at the same time wants to taste the spiciness. I go for Level 5, but beware. They are very spicy. First two times, I couldn't stand level 5, but now I'm used to it so its like nothing to me now. Also if you are paying with debit card, just to let you know they will charge you $1.45 for the transaction. Might as well carry cash with you. read more

I love all of their drinks and their spicy chicken can be exactly however spicy you want it to be, they have some of the best chicken!! Yum!! I also love their strawberry/kiwi icebowl for only about $5, it's satisfies the sweet and fruity flavor that I'm almost always craving! read more

I'm not from this area, but my friends, who do live in this area tell me that this TapEx is pretty legit, and from the few times I've come here, I'm inclined to agree. This is not your ordinary TapEx as it has quite the variety of drinks. Every drink, I've gotten has satisfied my boba cravings, and the drinks always come out almost immediately after you finish paying. Cash only, and they do have a stamp card, but their stamp card is unique in that there are two sections, for small drinks or large drinks. Ten of either drinks, and your next one is free. There is some fine print, so I'm not sure if it's completely free, or if it's just a discount. I do have one little irk. I once ordered a hot drink since the weather has been getting quite cold, and the drink wasn't exactly hot. More like pretty warm, and it was still placed in their regular plastic container and sealed, which isn't exactly great as you usually don't want to heat up those kinds of plastics. It's not that big a deal to me though, and 99% of the time, I get a cold drink, so I'll probably just stick to iced drinks from now on. Definitely would return if I'm in the area because their menu is so extensive, so I'd love to try more drinks. read more