Stopped by The Alley for drinks and really enjoyed the experience! The boba tea was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly sweet. The pearls had a great chewy texture, and the drinks looked just as good as they tasted. The atmosphere was clean, modern, and relaxing -- a great place to sit and chat with friends or family. Service was friendly and quick as well. Definitely a spot I'd come back to when craving boba! read more

See all

Bold of The Alley to open up in this plaza given there's so much competition: Molly Tea, Heytea, Tea Top, Sharetea, Kung Fu Tea, AtCha, Ninja Matcha, Nu Cafe, Xing Fu Tang. Good variety of drinks, with a few limited series including the Demon Slayer series. The strawberry mochi and Royal No. 9 milk tea were excellent. Prices are roughly on par. They originally forgot to make it light ice, but they quickly corrected it. Note, 'normal' ice takes up WAY too much of the drink. They have a Pokemon pack vending machine, but the prices are CRAZY, also it has some janky AI slop art as a background. If you have trouble saying no to your kids, I would recommend steering away... What brought this review from a 3 to a 4 was their ambiance. The space is fairly spacious, good amount of tables, plugs, and chairs, really great for studying. The Alley might be the best study spot in this plaza! read more

See all

Nut allergy friendly: No issues with my drink. Parking: Totally depends on how busy the Chinatown plaza is that day. Will be rougher on Friday/Saturday nights. Time to drink: 5 minutes I've been to other locations of The Alley before, and learned the hard way about their 900+ calorie Creme Brulee milk drinks (my stomach was annihilated after I had it on an empty stomach). I instead opted to try their Jasmine Green Milk Tea with less ice and 25% sugar. Honestly, it was one of the weaker milk teas that I've had. Minimal tea flavor and the boba was just okay, nothing special. The signature Brown Sugar Boba Creme Brulee Milk is really easily drinkable... and fair warning, it does come packed with 800+ calories. The bathroom pin code is on the receipt. read more

The Alley - Menu - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

I was never a fan before, until I discovered their lychee green tea with less sugar. It comes with green tea jelly that is so addictive, something in between the coconut jelly and jello. It takes some control for me not to stop by here every time I'm in the area. On this visit, I decided to try the strawberry green tea with the green tea jelly. The tea itself was ok, maybe because I'm partial to lychee. It was strawberry puree, makes it nice without having chunks of fresh strawberries. This space is nice and clean, feels more comfortable than many of the surrounding tea houses. They have a self order station but also takes orders at the counter. Parking really sucks at peak time and weekends so be prepared to get dropped off for pickup or try the attached parking garage. read more

The Alley - L to R: jasmine green tea w/boba Ube brown sugar tea w/boba Strawberry green tea w/green tea jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

Ordered Matcha purple rice yogurt and Ube brown sugar crème brûlée. 3x coming back for this order, yum! I like the ally for a complex/lux drink. Here all your average drinks get spruced up yet they do have basic drinks for a simpler taste if wanted. Saw other desserts I may try if their drinks are this good. read more

The Alley - Matcha purple rice yogurt and ube brown sugar crème brûlée - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

For my 500th review I had to give a spot that's well deserving of a 5 star & The Alley did it for me. The drinks are well made and well presented, the service is good although they all look very tired & the decor is beautiful on the inside. What I like about the Alley is that each location is consistent on quality. Here's the drinks I've ordered. * Strawberry green tea with jelly- refreshing, good amount of sweetness & the tea flavor is strong. Ordered this twice and it was the same results. 5/5 * Snow velvet strawberry lulu- creamy, sweet with a hint of tea. The cheese foam was the icing on the cake. 4.2/5 * Passion fruit green tea- good amount of tea flavor, not as strong as the strawberry green tea but I was content with it. 4.5/5 * Ube creme brûlée brown sugar deerioca- solid drink. Just wish the Ube was a little stronger. The brûlée was good in quality. 4.5/5 Overall, it was a great experience. I'm not sure why I don't go to the Alley that often but this will be my top boba spots to go from now on. The decor is instagram worthy. Will I come back? You bet I will. read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was pleasantly surprised to see that The Alley finally opened a new location in Bellaire Chinatown while dining in Dunhuang Plaza. Located in the former Aqua S spot, the interior is modern, spacious, and clean. We ordered our go-to drinks: the Ube Brown Sugar Boba Crème Brûlée Milk and the classic Brown Sugar Boba Crème Brûlée Milk. Both drinks were on the heavier side calorie-wise, but the brown sugar flavor tasted natural and wasn't overly sweet, even at 100% sugar level. The combination of chewy boba and silky crème brûlée created a perfect balance of textures. While our choices were definitely a guilty pleasure, The Alley also offers lighter, healthier tea options for those looking for something less rich. If you have a sweet tooth, this spot is definitely worth a visit! read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

The Alley has a nice vibe and a good variety of drinks, but my taro milk tea was a bit too sweet for my taste, and the boba wasn't as chewy as I like. The presentation and atmosphere were great though, and I can see why people love coming here. I'll definitely give it another try and experiment with a different drink next time! read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

Ube brown sugar creme brulee ang Lychee green tea was really good. Staff was attentive and order was quick to arrive. They were not crowded though so that's probably why. Good experience so far. read more

Boba is great dessert option but there are so many choices out there. I tried the Alley while I'm Chinatown and was definitely impressed by their novelty. The interior was spacious, and though crowded, the chaos was pretty organized. I liked the casual vibe and atmosphere. The drinks themselves were very pretty to look at and were generously portioned. I really enjoyed the brown sugar boba crème brûlée. The only part I was not very fond of was the cream that was a bit clumpy. Overall, a solid spot! read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

Came to Chinatown to grab dinner with the family. Saw that the Alley opened up a store here in the spot of the former soft serve store. Even though this area is stacked with lots of milk tea / boba spots, the Alley probably has a better flavor profile than spots like Kung Fu, Sharetea, or Gongcha. Drinks are in the $7-8 range but comes with boba/toppings in there usually. You can adjust the ice level on the drinks and sugar level on some of the drinks. There's interior seating but maybe only for 10-15 people. Their ube and standard brown sugar boba drinks are fairly solid. read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

The Alley completely satisfied my boba craving. Every drink we tried was delicious and had something special to offer. We got the Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie, which was sweet, fruity, and perfect for a hot summer day. The Fruit Tea was super refreshing and light, great if you're looking for something less creamy. But the real star for me was the Ube Brown Sugar Boba Crème Brûlée Milk Tea. The ube flavor was rich and smooth, and the custard crème brûlée topping took it to another level. It was creamy, slightly caramelized, and the perfect addition to the drink. This is definitely the one I'll be getting every time I come back. Highly recommend if you're a boba lover or just looking to try something new and flavorful. read more

The Alley - Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie, Ube Brown Sugar Boba Crème Brûlée Milk Tea, Fruit Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

New boba store near Chinatown. I have heard about this brand for a very long time, but now I have a chance to try it. The store was super clean and had plenty of seats. I do recommend this store for family. However, it could be difficult to find parking slot due to its location. Staff were super friendly. Price range from $5.45 to $7.25, which topping includes in some drinks. Therefore, I think their price is pretty good. I like my cold brew. Highly recommend this boba store. read more

See all

Terrible the drinks I wanted and Advertised were not available!!! How about you take the signs down!! Not good business will NOT be going back! read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

Another newcomer to the area but not for the city happened to establish themselves Dun Huang plaza and that is the deer itself, The Alley. Of course I say deer because of the mascot logo of an Elk for the business. First step inside is very modern layout. Big tables, various seating arrangements and even the option to order off the kiosk. For the drinks, I wanted to try the ube milk tea with boba and number 9 royal milk tea with boba. The ube was flavorful and all in its purple glory. It is a nice choice. The number 9 royal milk tea was also great in flavor. Great balance in tea flavor and no overpowering flavor profiles. The boba was great too with the right chewy consistency. Overall it was a pleasant visit to The Alley. I have seen the other items offered with dessert. I hope to try it in the future. The specific location they have set up shop varied on the concept but I always remember the AquaS. It is a well visited boba shop and they have so much to offer. But they can stand on the quality creations and bring on healthy competition with those around them and will learn to fear the deer haha read more

This is an awesome place. There are many boba tea place in this plaza but this one is unique. read more

The Alley - Ube Brown Sugar Crème - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

Despite the Alley being one of my favorite bubble tea franchises, I still don't really know the significance of the name or the deer mascot! I was excited to see this newest location take over the former Aqua S shopfront in Dun Huang plaza - definitely a closer drive for me than the existing locations out in the suburbs, and a great dessert add-on to lunch or dinner in Chinatown. When we visited after a late Friday dinner, the place was nevertheless packed with young folk and families - it makes me wish my friends and I had more third spaces to hang out when we were growing up! We eagerly perused the menu, best known for its snow velvet and brown sugar "Deerioca" series, but it was the mango green milk tea offered on a sideboard that caught my eye instead (50% sugar and ice please!) We did have to wait a while for our drinks to come out but I figured it was par for the course with the grand opening. My drink hit all the right notes - good ratio of tea to toppings, sweetness and flavor level - and I'd certainly order it again. I had a few sips of my friends' crème brûlée drinks which were definitely on the sweeter side; the topping wasn't my favorite as it had a coagulated rather than smooth texture. Overall, a strong contender to enter the (ongoing) boba wars at Dun Huang - the Alley has my vote! read more

The Alley - mango green milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

See all

I loved the alley in pearland and expected the same consistency when I stumbled on this place that opened pretty recently in the Dun Huang plaza. In my opinion, I think The Alley's brown sugar boba series ranks higher amongst other boba joints, and I would have hoped so with its location in the DH plaza next to so many competing boba shops. I came in on a Wednesday afternoon when it was practically empty. There were two employees working behind the counter, and I never even got greeted even when I walked up to the counter to order- no hellos or any explanation of the menu- just a blank stare until I placed my order. I ordered the brown sugar with creme brulee (their #1 menu) and it was just full of disappointment. For almost 8 dollars, it was purely all milk with very minimal brown sugar taste. The boba was slightly soggy. There's too many boba joints in Chinatown to go to a mediocre and overpriced one. If I want to go to the alley again, I'll just go to the one in Pearland with better service and better drinks. read more

Well, I understand sometimes that things can get out of hand during the busy weekends, but this is kinda out of line for me. You have 2 people manning the store on a Sunday, yet I don't believe that was a good choice seeing as they lack common sense. Would one continue to take dozens of orders while there is at least 15-20 unmade drinks stacked on the counter, or would one kindly tell the clients to give them a bit to fulfill the orders, give them a time expectation, and/or to use the automatic ordering kiosk available? Seems kinda obvious, yet it wasn't the case. We waited for more than 25' in a shop with broken AC, and only after I raised questions about my order did they say that they were out of boba and cannot fulfill them. AND when I asked for a refund, they tried to not even refund me the full amount thinking we would not notice! Ms. Anh, as one Asian to another, either your math skill is questionable (dishonor on you), or you attempted to steal (dishonor on your parents). When requested to see a manager, both workers ignored us (maybe manager was not even on establishment) and gave us our remaining refund amounts in singles and nickels. Tragic... read more

I bought a drink for the next morning therefore I asked to separate tapioca from the drink and the Server said his Manager said they dont do that. All others tapioca places did that. read more

I love the inside of The Alley, also the milk tea taste good i really like taro milk tea the most, they put everything awesome in there. I will go there later on oftently to get da tea read more

i was sooooo dissatisfied with my services was not Tea the drinks didn't live up to its standard and the cake was rock harddd never going here again read more