Hidden gem for not only tea but some underrated Chinese street food called Jianbing! The only place in Chicago that serves this delicious food item that you have to try! Easy to order restaurant with a kiosk screen. The employees are friendly and attentive, don't be shy to ask them for any recommendations especially the Jianbings! If you're a climber, highly recommend grabbing a drink and a Jianbing after a nice session! Been my go to spot for a few years after climbing and will continue to do so! read more

Yelp listing not updated but there is a sign outside the establishment saying it is temporarily closed. I was hoping to try a drink from Tea Monster while I was in the area but unfortunately was not able to do so. read more

Tea Monster - Temporarily closed sign outside Tea Monster/Jian entrance - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very easy to order on touch screens and was ready quickly. Lots of fun flavors (like the dirty Oreo boba I had--was quite unique!). Everything was tasty and the workers were very friendly and nice. As a side note, I also really like how secure the top is, even with the straw. It accidentally got knocked over on a table but it didn't spill at all. read more

Tea Monster - Oreo Dirty Boba Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Been wanting to try this place for a while because it always smells sooo good when walking past it in Block 37! It's a small store so seating is limited. For drinks we ordered the Lychee Peach Jasmine Tea w/ Coconut Jelly and the Brown Sugar Dirty Milk Tea. For food we ordered Smoked Bacon Jianbing and Pulled Pork Jianbing. We really enjoyed the drinks! Flavors and sweetness were well balanced. Their boba was the perfect chewiness. But the food fell short. Both Jianbing were very oily and the flavors weren't hitting as much as we thought it would. Every bite just felt as if we were eating oil and it was too overpowering for the overall taste. Would come back to try more drinks but would pass on Jianbing read more

Tea Monster - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Convenient spot with great service! Friendly and efficient staff. There is a tablet to order from while also exploring the menu. Snag a drink before or after walking around, especially near the park! Jasmine Boba Milk Tea - boba was cooked well to a solid chewiness. Lacked flavor though, the marination wasn't as solid. Decently strong green tea base with a splash of milk. Hints of floral flavor but could have a bit more for jasmine tea. Overall, a good green milk tea. read more

Tea Monster - Jasmine Boba Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tea Monster is my daughter's favorite boba shop in Chicago, and as a college student, she has tried them all! She recommends the brown sugar drinks. This trip we got the Japanese Matcha Boba Latte with Brown Sugar and the Assam Milk Tea. The matcha was great, but we should have gotten the brown sugar in the Assam to give it a little more flavor. We didn't get any food this trip, but she says their Jian Bing is also really good. The owner is super nice, and the shop in the mall is a big improvement from the window in the train station where they used to be located. There's some seating if you want to sit and enjoy your drink. read more

Tea Monster - Japanese Matcha Boba Latte & Assam Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I will preface by saying that I think I set myself up for failure here at Tea Monster. I'm always looking to see what the place does best, and what should catch my eye but the brown sugar ginger milk tea- a drink that I think actually probably shouldn't exist. But I saw it and I was like oh? Brown sugar combined with a little bit of SPICE?? Could be good. And it's true- it could be good, but you never think about how it also could be bad. I genuinely do think this flavor has potential, but I found myself wishing for (1) creamier tea and (2) stronger tea. In the state that it was in, the ginger flavor tasted like it was being added to plain water, which made the whole experience more herbal than I'd hoped. Seems like fruit teas might be the way to go here, especially with the addition of fresh little fruit pieces! My dad enjoyed his pineapple green tea, and my sister also found the passionfruit to be refreshing! read more

Tea Monster - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I wish there was more of a sitdown area because this spot deserves more space! The butterfly coconut shrimp jianbing was so addictive, especially the crispy flaky crunch of every bite. The serving size was generous and could easily serve two people. It's easy to grab on the go or eat on the spot. Will be coming here often to try the other jianbing items!! read more

Tea Monster - Butterfly coconut shrimp jianbing - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

All the way at the very lower level of Block 37 on the way to the train. Cute little Boba shop. The boba was very soft and chewy. I got the Brown sugar, dirty boba. Less sweet. Ordered on a kiosk. It took a little over 7 minutes, and there were no people there. read more

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Pluses: Kiosk for ordering. Specify less sugar, less ice or tea versus milk. Con: cream top is commercwhipped cream read more

Tea Monster - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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After a climbing session, a refreshing boba drink was just what I needed! Tea Monster and Jian are housed in the same space in the pedway of the Block 37 mall complex. I went on a weekday around noon, and they were getting a good amount of traffic. The 3 employees were definitely working hard, and I was pleasantly surprised that the wait wasn't as long as I anticipated. Although the jianbing looked good, I only had time to order a drink. I ordered the genmaicha with less sugar, regular ice, and tapioca. I was impressed by the strong tea flavor and the soft boba. The sweetness level was perfect. In addition to pure tea drinks, they also have smoothies and fruit teas. I would recommend this boba shop if you prefer strong tea flavors! read more

Tea Monster - Genmaicha with boba pearls - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Definitely try this if you're curious. It's both savory and sweet. The crust is sweet and crunchy, but you have the egg and the ingredients (of your choice) for the savory part. It's in the middle of a downtown mall, so don't expect any ambiance really. My only complaint is that it can take a LONG time to get your food. I do hope that improves because I do like this! read more

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This spot is in the basement of block 37 near the entrance for the blue line train. The mango dirty boba was extremely refreshing and delicious on a warm summer day. Don't go if you are in a rush. I waited about 10-15 minutes on a Saturday night around 6:30pm and wasn't in a rush. Current hours online say they close at 6:30pm, but I'm unclear if that time is correct due to the fact that they were still accepting orders close to 6:50 when getting my order. read more

Tea Monster - Mango dirty boba tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It was our first time trying out Tea monster and it was a wonderful delight! Their boba is not overly sweet like other spots and their Jianbing is really good. It was also our first time trying that time and it has a wonderful texture and also flavor. I would recommend! They were busy so service is a bit slow but there is a kiosk to order. The ambiance is very cute and aesthetic for photos and a cute date! read more

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New bubble tea place in Chicago that opened inside the Washington Blue line stop. You have to walk down into the station, and Tea Monster is in a booth outside of the fare stations right by the Block 37 subway entrance. The hours have been a bit unpredictable - hours online and Yelp haven't always matched what's posted on the window, and they've been closed a few times when I've come by. There are kiosks outside to order automatically, and every time I've come by there's been a small crowd with a 10-15 min between ordering and drinks. There's been the same guy there everytime making the drinks who is very nice. Service can be slow especially if there's a lot of orders since there's only one person mixing the drinks. Drinks at Tea Monster are great and it's no wonder it's already very popular. Menu is extensive and has a lot of unique options like brown sugar ginger tea and fruit tea with cheese foam topping. Original milk tea is one of the best in Chicago. Definitely come check Tea Monster out. read more

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Located in Block 37's basement (B1) off the blue line - did not hear about this place until some friends told us! My husband and I shared the Monster Smoothie (banana, granola, honey, coconut milk, peanut butter) with tapioca. Interesting combination but it was overall tasty. The smoothie was more liquidy than I would've liked, and the tapioca balls were pretty bland. Did not think it was worth the additional 85 cents. :/ Definitely will be back to try something else though! read more

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I can wholeheartedly say that Tea Monster is the only good bubble tea spot in the heart of the Loop. I've gotten tea from here a few times and it's been top-notch every single time, which I must say is impressive as I've frequented a number of bubble tea stores that struggle with consistency. I've tried a few different bubble tea flavors from here (including the earl grey and jasmine) and all have been exquisite - they're a little on the stronger side as far as the tea itself goes, which I love (not bitter though). And you couldn't ask for more out of the tapioca pearls...chewy and sweet! A notable feature of this place is the service. There's a person who often works here that's extremely friendly and polite so that's the cherry on top for the whole bubble tea experience. The only unfortunate thing about Tea Monster is their hours. I don't remember their exact hours but I often find it closed in the evenings and on weekends. All that means is that whenever I swing by the Washington blue line stop and it's open, I pop in for some bubble tea! read more

Tea Monster - Dark Roasted Oolong Milk Tea with Tapioca Boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Simple and efficient, you'll get satisfying bubble tea creations at tea monster for a reasonable price. It's simple to order off the kiosk here with plenty of options to choose from, with a good number of pictures, and lots of ways to customize it to perfection. The Dalgon coffee I tried was strong and smooth like a Vietnamese coffee without being too sweet. The taro was similarly aromatic and flavorful without being too sweet. In both drinks, the boba was nice and chewy which provided a nice match to the drink. Though the restaurant itself is small, the quality of the drinks is as good as what you'd get from a larger boba tea store. read more

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The most unexpected place to find boba. Located in the Blue Line CTA pedway under Block 37/Thompson Center. I pass by everyday on my way to work. Hours are a bit weird to me and it's unfortunate that they don't upen up in the morning. But other than that, they're great! You can order through the register or they have a kiosk. I've tried the Black Boba Milk Tea, Taro Boba Milk Tea, Thai Boba Milk Tea, and the Roasted Oolong Boba Milk Tea. The drinks with 'Boba' in the name have tapioca included! Their tapioca is also cooked perfectly imo. All of the drinks I've tried from here are great! I love how the sugar levels can be customized. They also advertise daily specials. Overall, really good! One thing that keeps me coming back is the service. I've been here plenty and the one guy that works here is always so nice and friendly. He also works very fast even when there's rushes. Sanitary as well, as I saw they made sure to wash their hands after touching cards and cash (I know this should be standard, but seriously I have seen it not done before at many other places). Great boba spot that I will continue to get! :) read more

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My go to bubble tea place right now. The hours has changed from like 1pm to 6pm, I'll try to take a pic of the updated hours the next time I go. I really enjoy the roasted oolong milk tea or jasmine milk tea with bubbles or coconut lychee jelly. You can really taste the tea which is why I think it's quite good. Their mango / passion fruit drink is good as well (the mango one comes with chunks of mango!!!!!!!) The owner / guy behind the counter is super nice. read more

Tea Monster - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Got the oolong and brown sugar ginger milk tea. I was very impressed considering everything is mixed by hand. The oolong was very strong and the ginger milk tea also had a very strong ginger flavor. I got the agar bubbles, but it's not really for me. They were running out of tapioca due to price increases and the boba shortage, so I let my bf have the last one. They're open until 6pm M-F and closed on the weekend. The owner was very nice. read more

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Use the kiosk to order. The stand is in front of the blue line entrance. You can adjust sugar level and such. Nice staff and good boba! read more

Tea Monster - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was so excited to try this place when I found out about it. I hate saying hidden gem but it kind of is! Easiest way to find it is taking the blue line stairs down on Dearborn. I got a dirty brown sugar tea and it was SO good! Bobas weren't overly chewy and the tea was so sweet and flavorful. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu. read more

Tea Monster - Dark Brown Sugar Dirty Boba Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious and cute! Taro tea latte (purple yam) was so good! Very strong taro flavor barely tasted tea. Perfect! It wasn't overwhelmingly sweet like some can be. The bobas at the bottom have a chewy, waxy and slightly slimy texture. If you never had it, it's worth the experience to try. I normally ask for it to be removed. I just forgot this time. The drink is over $5 after taxes. Could definitely make this for cheaper at home. read more

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Presentation 10/10 cute, boba was 8/10. Service was super friendly, very convenient for those who take the CTA line. Located in front of Washington Blue Line Stop - downstairs of the Block 37 Pictured: Dirty Brown Sugar Milk Tea read more

Tea Monster - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great bubble tea/fruit tea/smoothie spot conveniently located at the Washington Blue Line stop/Block 37 entrance. I noticed it a few days ago as I was headed from the Washington blue line stop to the pedway. I decided to try it today and had a great mango smoothie. I ordered at the kiosk and received my smoothie quickly. Love the cute cups! I plan on making it a regular stop and next time I'll try a jianbing and fruit tea. read more

I love this place. it's so good. tea is amazing and addictive. Srrvice is AMAZING. best service. there's a guy who's really nice and always says hello and asks how you are and really makes you feel at home. i dont know how to describe the tea other than it's amazing. I will always have nostalgia after grabbing some tea from here and then hopping on the red line to get home. something about the smell of the red line mixed with the taste of the tea is just amazing. only problem is ITS SUPER EXPENSIVE. like 10 bucks for a tea, but to me it's worth the price so I give it 5 stars. read more

Pretty good bubble tea specials for $4-4.5. I got Thai tea with boba($4.5), which was pretty good, not super sweet, but a little diluted. Same with brown sugar ginger iced milk tea with boba($5.50)- not overly sweet but diluted flavor. The server mixed the drinks on the spot quickly and was super nice and friendly. He poured a lot of tea and, even though none spilled, he wiped each cup before handing them to us to make sure they were clean and not sticky. Great customer service! You can get there through block 37 by going downstairs, and turning to the blue line station. read more

Tea Monster - Thai Tea with Tapioca Boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The dirty taro latte was amazing. I got it with less sugar, and that was the perfect level of sweetness for me. The taro flavor was decently strong, and the pearls were chewy and flavorful. read more

Brand new place for 2-3 weeks. I tried the brown sugar boba tea. I thought the brown sugar boba had the right chewiness and sweetness. I could not taste tea and I let the owner know who was open to feedback. I'll plan to come back in the future and try something else. read more

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11/06/21 Service - 5 / Ambiance - 3 / Food - 3 / Price - 4 COVID: All the staff wore masks. It took us a while to find the entrance to this boba place, as the entrance is through the CTA Washington Blue line Station. They handshake all their drinks, and I prefer the tea drinks over their fruity drinks. The boba is okay...it's pretty chewy and the boba to drink ratio is pretty good, but it's not the sugar has cooked really well into the boba. There is only one large size, and the prices are pretty standard for a large boba. This is also going to be the second location for JIAN, which specializes in a Chinese street breakfast food called JianBing. http://www.jianbingchicago.com/ Drinks Dirty Dirty Mango Boba Latte - 2/5 They do use real mango jam which is nice and the drink is not too sweet. It tasted a bit watered down to me and I didn't love the fruity drink. The boba was okay. Osmanthus Passion Fruit with Boba - 4/5 The drink was not overly sweet and had a strong, rich tea flavor. *All ratings are out of 5 read more

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BEST BOBA in Chicago. You get to watch them freshly muddle the fruit, if you like fruit teas. Just down the steps towards the subway. The somewhat stealth location somehow just adds. read more

Tea Monster - Best boba ever. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This little hidden gem at the blue line pedway is lowkey really good. I came here Friday around 3-4pm after shopping before I got on the bus to go home. I ordered the osmanthus oolong milk tea with boba (less sugar and light ice) because not a lot of places carry osmanthus oolong as a flavor for milk tea. The guy who made the drink was super nice and I can't wait to be back to try their jasmine milk tea next time! The bubbles are definitely on the smaller side, but I didn't really care much since it's just a difference in size as long as it's flavorful. I can't to be back in the near future on Fridays after I get off work since it's a good 15min walk from my work place, but worth a treat yourself! read more

Neat spot in the Block 37 Basement on the Blue Line. For my lactose intolerant friends, the drinks are dairy free! The drinks came out very fast and there was no line on a Wednesday afternoon. My group said the drinks were really good and the shop being in a subway stop was reminiscent of Taiwan. The cups are cute too! Would definitely recommend checking this shop out read more

Tea Monster - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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very good prices for boba and smoothie the jianbing is a must! very well made and the servers are friendly as well read more

I ordered the passion fruit tea with boba. The boba was great but the tea itself lacked flavor / was watered down. However, the prices were refreshingly reasonable and the location is conveniently in the blue line station, so I can see myself going back and trying something else read more

Always very yummy, and the service is pretty fast. Workers are always super kind as well.

Tea Monster is hands down the best bubble tea shop in River North, Chicago. They have a friendly and respectful staff who are always so quick to make your drink! My favorite is the the taro milk tea with boba. Very tasty and reasonably priced! It is tucked underground so you have to enter near the blue line station. read more

Tea Monster - This is a view of the little stand. There are snacks as well! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My job likes to order from here to keep us hydrated and refreshed during long shifts. We ordered thru grubhub or some other 3rd party delivery service and our driver never showed so we couldn't get our drinks. The 3rd party did refund our money but the employees over at tea monster didn't want us to miss out so they were kind enough to deliver our order free of charge. Great customer service. Thank you guys! read more

Tea Monster - Mellow yellow smoothie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place was a small little shop on the Washington blue line stop and it came in clutch. I got the Taro Bubble Tea, and it was a solid size, was delicious, and had just the right amount of boba. Will be back! It's a perfect little pick me up read more

Tea Monster - Taro milk bubble tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois