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Friends introduced me to this location , first time coming to this brand. We were coming out of a lunch and decided to try this out. It was my first time having a proper boba. Decided to go with the Ube Crème Brûlée with brown sugar and Deerioca milk. It was a pleasant new experience , drink was delicious. Wait time was not bad, after my order was taken , took about 5 or so minutes. Interior was well lit and clean.
The yogurt snow grape lulu is to die for!!! The drink was amazing and the alley is always a good choice when choosing a dessert. The space is clean well kept and definitely busy. They did add some more seating near the entrance but there is limited space available. So would recommend getting boba to go or stopping by for a couple of minutes. I'm not sure in what order they make the orders but sometimes they skipped numbers and came back to the previous ones.
I ordered their best selling royal no.9 milk tea with regular boba. It was a disappointment. The tea was super bitter. It's super dark and my heart was pounding hard after 1/3 of the cup. I'm not this sensitive with caffeine normally, so their tea was abnormally strong that day? I tried the alley a few times before and I never had such a bad experience. The boba is great. It's well cooked. The texture is just right.
I have been coming here ever since grand opening when I witnessed a girl almost passing out from standing in the line outside. Anywho, they have been better with managing their lines. Service is quick. This is my go-to boba shop when I am craving sweet. My go to is their brown sugar deerioca creme brûlée milk (comes with boba). Passion fruit green tea, no sugar is also another favorite. Though, I must warn you that the prices are on the higher side compare to the many other boba shops in Katy Asian Town area. Drinks are typically around $7. Ambiance is clean and modern. Depending on the day and time, it can get quite busy where you won't be able to just chill here. No worries, as there's some but limited outdoor benches in this plaza. Parking can also be a hassle but you have legs and this is a safe area so park further if you must
Considering the bad luck (#1) I've had at other locations of The Alley, I'm pleasantly surprised to find this location in Katy is one of the best in the chain. In fact, I would dare say this is one of the best bubble tea options in Katy period. The decor is trendy and modern, and I especially love the massive wall mural of the deer logo. Seating is limited but the place is clean (#2). There is self service (cold) water and free WiFi to boot. It's a real pleasure to see the staff work so efficiently behind the counter to keep things moving. The line gets long at times, but thanks to the good work of the employees, the wait isn't long. I love almost all of their drinks. Their milk teas and specialty drinks are divine. The ube strawberry brulee is sweet, and their brown sugar milk tea is a real treat. Even something like the crunchy strawberry milk tea is a sugar bomb, but in the best (and sweetest) way. For this reason, I walk out of here with a different drink every time. The boba scene in Katy is really on the up and up. I would even go as far to say that The Alley is a must visit in the area, as they are one of the only sure things in Katy Asian Town. ___________ (#1) Flushing, Queens I'm looking at you. (#2) Yes, even the restrooms. Score.
I have to admit, I've got nothing but good things to say about the ambience and aesthetics of the setting. However, this is as far as I'm able to go. Is there a signature drinks , as well as most of their other milk tea-based options will break the calorie bank. Their signature milk tea option harbors over 1000 calories. I cannot justify in good conscience. I ordered the alley latte since it was on the lower end of the calorie spectrum, sitting at over 600 calories. Yet, it was still incredibly too sweet, despite my request to lower the sugar level. The staff said that the sugar level can't really be adjusted but could reduce the amount of sweet cream added to the drink to help. I found this was not helpful at all in managing the sweetness level. This year amount of sugary flavor is enough to make my palate cringe and my teeth shiver. Unfortunately, this would likely be my first and last time visiting the alley. It's incredibly unfortunate, given that I really enjoy the space, vibe, and aesthetics.
The Alley has to be one of my top 3 boba shops!! I always stick to the same drink, the ube brown sugar deerioca crème brulee, because it never disappoints. It was super busy when we came around 2pm... given that it was a holiday. Employees are fast and efficient with their service. We had to wait a little over 15 minutes though for the brown sugar boba as they were making a fresh batch. For this drink in particular, the sweetness really comes from the boba and crème brulee, so I don't think it's necessary to adjust the sugar level. Less sugar = less boba. The ube is subtle and smooth and combines so well with the toppings. I'm glad the boba comes with the drink because the selling point is already a bit high at $7.25. I've tried some of their fruit drinks before, but I have to go with the classic specialties. Good number of tables available, a water station, a seating area to wait for drinks, and a shelf with merch to browse. The alley is a great place to hang and chill at! Parking can be a pain when everyone is in the area lolll. That's Katy Asian town for ya!
If you are a boba lover, the alley is a must visit spot! This store has been one of my favorite places to go to every time I'm on vacation. There are many locations both East and West Coast. Depending on the time and day it can get busy but the line moves fast. My go to order is the Brown sugar deerrioca creme brulee. The drink includes brown sugar boba, chunks of creme brulee pudding, creamy milk and a dollop of whipped sea salt cream! Everything about this sounds amazing just typing it out! Once you give it a good mix it all blends in perfectly together with the warm boba and cold drink. They also offer other type of snacks if you aren't feeling like getting boba. Overall, I highly recommend this place if you are visiting. The workers were helpful and the ambiance of the store is bright and welcoming.
I'm not as convinced that this location is as good as the one in Las Vegas. The boba was not as chewy as expected. The milk tea was just okay, it tasted like tea with milk and nothing special
What you might expect to be your typical boba stop among all the others that have popped up lately, The Alley offers a somewhat different experience with their deer theming and their alternate flavors. They obviously take cleanliness seriously by still having dividers and their staff wearing masks. While I would prefer a clear cup to see the culinary delight my ube crème brûlée brown sugar derrioca offers, it is still delicious.
Yoooooo this place is GREAT! I can't believe that I've never had it, especially as a boba lover!! In the two plazas, there are probably over 5+ boba shops and we decided to come here. It did NOT disappoint!!! Sweetness level was great, tea was great, bubbles were chewy and store itself looked great. Easy to order up front and people were nice. My friend got the ube and said she's never finished a drink before, there she goes! I would try this place before any of the other nearby bubble tea shops! Grab and go or sit in the nook next to the tree, so cute.
Got an ube drink which I LOVED but I do think this is slightly higher priced compared to other places. It was over $7 for the drink. It's well lit and clean in there, and the employees were nice and quick to take people's order. It can get loud in there but since they have a mic/headset they can easily hear your order. They do have free water at the entrance, and about 4 or so small tables with chairs. The wait wasn't long, and thankfully they have a number counter/display by the pickup area so you can have an idea of when your order number is ready. I'd go back, but only if I was ready to splurge and had an idea of what I would fire sure enjoy.
4 months ago
I finally tried the popular creme brulee brown sugar milk tea and I'll just say it definitely lives up to the hype. I got less boba since I was afraid it was going to be too sweet but I think next time I'll just get it as is. In addition to the brown sugar boba, it also comes with scoops of creme brulee which are very rich and creamy with the drink. Just an FYI that this drink does have over 1000 calories so do with that what you will LOL. Overall, I'll definitely come again next time I drive through the Katy area read more
9 months ago
Friends introduced me to this location , first time coming to this brand. We were coming out of a lunch and decided to try this out. It was my first time having a proper boba. Decided to go with the Ube Crème Brûlée with brown sugar and Deerioca milk. It was a pleasant new experience , drink was delicious. Wait time was not bad, after my order was taken , took about 5 or so minutes. Interior was well lit and clean. read more
The yogurt snow grape lulu is to die for!!! The drink was amazing and the alley is always a good choice when choosing a dessert. The space is clean well kept and definitely busy. They did add some more seating near the entrance but there is limited space available. So would recommend getting boba to go or stopping by for a couple of minutes. I'm not sure in what order they make the orders but sometimes they skipped numbers and came back to the previous ones. read more
1 year ago
8 months ago
3 months ago
I ordered their best selling royal no.9 milk tea with regular boba. It was a disappointment. The tea was super bitter. It's super dark and my heart was pounding hard after 1/3 of the cup. I'm not this sensitive with caffeine normally, so their tea was abnormally strong that day? I tried the alley a few times before and I never had such a bad experience. The boba is great. It's well cooked. The texture is just right. read more
I have been coming here ever since grand opening when I witnessed a girl almost passing out from standing in the line outside. Anywho, they have been better with managing their lines. Service is quick. This is my go-to boba shop when I am craving sweet. My go to is their brown sugar deerioca creme brûlée milk (comes with boba). Passion fruit green tea, no sugar is also another favorite. Though, I must warn you that the prices are on the higher side compare to the many other boba shops in Katy Asian Town area. Drinks are typically around $7. Ambiance is clean and modern. Depending on the day and time, it can get quite busy where you won't be able to just chill here. No worries, as there's some but limited outdoor benches in this plaza. Parking can also be a hassle but you have legs and this is a safe area so park further if you must read more
Considering the bad luck (#1) I've had at other locations of The Alley, I'm pleasantly surprised to find this location in Katy is one of the best in the chain. In fact, I would dare say this is one of the best bubble tea options in Katy period. The decor is trendy and modern, and I especially love the massive wall mural of the deer logo. Seating is limited but the place is clean (#2). There is self service (cold) water and free WiFi to boot. It's a real pleasure to see the staff work so efficiently behind the counter to keep things moving. The line gets long at times, but thanks to the good work of the employees, the wait isn't long. I love almost all of their drinks. Their milk teas and specialty drinks are divine. The ube strawberry brulee is sweet, and their brown sugar milk tea is a real treat. Even something like the crunchy strawberry milk tea is a sugar bomb, but in the best (and sweetest) way. For this reason, I walk out of here with a different drink every time. The boba scene in Katy is really on the up and up. I would even go as far to say that The Alley is a must visit in the area, as they are one of the only sure things in Katy Asian Town. ___________ (#1) Flushing, Queens I'm looking at you. (#2) Yes, even the restrooms. Score. read more
I have to admit, I've got nothing but good things to say about the ambience and aesthetics of the setting. However, this is as far as I'm able to go. Is there a signature drinks , as well as most of their other milk tea-based options will break the calorie bank. Their signature milk tea option harbors over 1000 calories. I cannot justify in good conscience. I ordered the alley latte since it was on the lower end of the calorie spectrum, sitting at over 600 calories. Yet, it was still incredibly too sweet, despite my request to lower the sugar level. The staff said that the sugar level can't really be adjusted but could reduce the amount of sweet cream added to the drink to help. I found this was not helpful at all in managing the sweetness level. This year amount of sugary flavor is enough to make my palate cringe and my teeth shiver. Unfortunately, this would likely be my first and last time visiting the alley. It's incredibly unfortunate, given that I really enjoy the space, vibe, and aesthetics. read more
The Alley has to be one of my top 3 boba shops!! I always stick to the same drink, the ube brown sugar deerioca crème brulee, because it never disappoints. It was super busy when we came around 2pm... given that it was a holiday. Employees are fast and efficient with their service. We had to wait a little over 15 minutes though for the brown sugar boba as they were making a fresh batch. For this drink in particular, the sweetness really comes from the boba and crème brulee, so I don't think it's necessary to adjust the sugar level. Less sugar = less boba. The ube is subtle and smooth and combines so well with the toppings. I'm glad the boba comes with the drink because the selling point is already a bit high at $7.25. I've tried some of their fruit drinks before, but I have to go with the classic specialties. Good number of tables available, a water station, a seating area to wait for drinks, and a shelf with merch to browse. The alley is a great place to hang and chill at! Parking can be a pain when everyone is in the area lolll. That's Katy Asian town for ya! read more
If you are a boba lover, the alley is a must visit spot! This store has been one of my favorite places to go to every time I'm on vacation. There are many locations both East and West Coast. Depending on the time and day it can get busy but the line moves fast. My go to order is the Brown sugar deerrioca creme brulee. The drink includes brown sugar boba, chunks of creme brulee pudding, creamy milk and a dollop of whipped sea salt cream! Everything about this sounds amazing just typing it out! Once you give it a good mix it all blends in perfectly together with the warm boba and cold drink. They also offer other type of snacks if you aren't feeling like getting boba. Overall, I highly recommend this place if you are visiting. The workers were helpful and the ambiance of the store is bright and welcoming. read more
What you might expect to be your typical boba stop among all the others that have popped up lately, The Alley offers a somewhat different experience with their deer theming and their alternate flavors. They obviously take cleanliness seriously by still having dividers and their staff wearing masks. While I would prefer a clear cup to see the culinary delight my ube crème brûlée brown sugar derrioca offers, it is still delicious. read more
Yoooooo this place is GREAT! I can't believe that I've never had it, especially as a boba lover!! In the two plazas, there are probably over 5+ boba shops and we decided to come here. It did NOT disappoint!!! Sweetness level was great, tea was great, bubbles were chewy and store itself looked great. Easy to order up front and people were nice. My friend got the ube and said she's never finished a drink before, there she goes! I would try this place before any of the other nearby bubble tea shops! Grab and go or sit in the nook next to the tree, so cute. read more
7 months ago
1 year ago
Got an ube drink which I LOVED but I do think this is slightly higher priced compared to other places. It was over $7 for the drink. It's well lit and clean in there, and the employees were nice and quick to take people's order. It can get loud in there but since they have a mic/headset they can easily hear your order. They do have free water at the entrance, and about 4 or so small tables with chairs. The wait wasn't long, and thankfully they have a number counter/display by the pickup area so you can have an idea of when your order number is ready. I'd go back, but only if I was ready to splurge and had an idea of what I would fire sure enjoy. read more
3 years ago
Good atmosphere, nice staff, and the drinks are good and sweet. The brown sugar deerioca crème brûlée is so sweet and be wary of the 1,000 calories with it, but it is nonetheless good. The mango green tea with jelly is light and a smidge bitter, but still a great treat. Fun spot for a final hurrah with the friends before we go to separate cities for work/school Cheers! read more
It was just OK. I was in Katy Asian town and saw this place and noticed how packed it was so we decided to stop in for something sweet. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the interior. Very pretty and cozy. I ordered the ube taro deerioca milk tea and although it tasted good I thought it was very overpriced ($7.84) for what it was. However, I would love to come back to try something new! read more
Does not live up to its hype and underwhelming. I'm a boba connoisseur, and this was mediocre. The boba was over cooked - soft and mushy (no resistance or bouncy texture) and no flavor. I tried one of their most popular drinks the cashier recommended: the crème brûlée. The brown sugar was too subtle and the milk was overwhelming. There was no balance. I'd prefer Feng Cha to this. Disappointed bc everyone raves about The Alley, but it's ok at best. I'll come back to try their tea but will not get boba with it. Hopefully the tea is better?! :0 read more
There are so many boba spots opening up in Katy/Houston that it's hard to go to the same place. However, I've tried all the new ones so far and went back to one of my faves that I can only get in Katy: the alley! I love their peach/grape drink, strawberry green tea, and the brown sugar milk tea! If you aren't a fan of flan or pudding like me, I recommend getting the brown sugar with just boba. The drinks are always out fast which I appreciate! Small space but cute place to catch up with friends or study. read more
Location is amazing but I really did not enjoy my drink. The matcha brown sugar boba was strange. The matcha tasted thick and very earthy. I tries some of my friends' drinks that I liked better but nothing amazing. I would definitely skip the matcha drinks and go for one of the classic milk teas read more
11 months ago
this was my first time and the store was so pretty inside! service was nicely done! i got the delish strawberry mochi smoothie with warm mochie and sweet cold strawberry smoothie which was delish! love it! read more
5 months ago
Absolutely delicious Boba shop with excellent service and some wonderful servers. I decided to redo this review, because of all the excellent positive experiences I've had here in the months since I wrote it. But first, we'll start with a rap. If you say Indonesia, I say BALI If you say West Coast, I say CALI If you say take your time, I'll dilly and DALLY But if you want Milk Tea, try THE ALLEY If you say Ulta, I say SALLY If you say Sudan, I say MALI If you say Total Fitness, I say BALLY But if you want Deerioca, get it at THE ALLEY If you like politics, go to a RALLY If you like big boats, go to the GALLEY When I post this review, I'll increase my TALLY And when I want Boba, I go to THE ALLEY Those were 3 good rap verses, this is the FINALE I choose Ana De Armas, you can have HALLE But we prefer a lot of plastic, so we live in the VALLEY And we prefer the Boba here at THE ALLEY WHAT From the moment that I tried it up in Canada in 2019, The Alley has been one of my favourite chains for boba. I loved everything about it, from their wonderful milk tea - including the blueberry kind - to the amazing lime drinks, custard drinks (deerioca puff), and other delights. The expansion across the USA has seen a drop in quality at many stores, but a lot of the drinks here at this Katy location are made excellently and the quality is wonderful, more like old-school Alley. After my great experiences in the big C-A, I explored the American versions. First I tried the ones up in New York and it didn't go so well. It couldn't have been more different than Canada. In all honesty, the Montreal one wasn't so good either. The Ontario ones were the interstellar gold standard. We were thrilled when they came down to Houston, and to find out that some of our fave people from Houston's Chinatown have moved over here and defected to a better, tastier, and friendlier environment, we were thrilled for them, even though for us it means we have to drive 4x as far to see them! Thankfully the Boba is well worth it! To my horror, I've been back up to Canada to rediscover the magic of The Alley, and it has slipped significantly in standards up there too, which means Katy Alley is as good as any Alley in Canada these days, and hit the current Alley standards very admirably. So sure, it's not the old school Alley that rocked the world. And a lot of my favourite drinks are gone from the menu. But this is a wonderful boba addition to Katy, to HTX, and to Texas. And as I mentioned, because one of my favourite people in the world is a manager here (hi Tiff!), and she does an amazing job. The Alley must be smart, because if I opened a boba shop, that is exactly who I would ask to be the manager at my store too! They have other employees that are pretty friendly too. I recently learned that one of the top global spokespersons for both Disney and 5 Seconds Of Summer, Becca, also works here too. They're an unstoppable sister team that have brought Boba perfection to Katy. I'm so glad they're here, and I'm glad I can come and get these products, even though I clearly still miss The Alley that I used to love so passionately and worship so loyally and rave about so fiercely, up in Canada. I guess I'll never taste those drinks again, those Deerioca Puffs and Assam Milk Teas and Lime Black Teas, from those happy 2019 memories. But these drinks are some of the best tasting drinks in greater HTX, so we come here basically every time we are in Katy, even if our dear friends are not working. But really, Alley wanna do is invent a time machine and go back to 2019, so I can taste them again. In other news they're renaming themselves in honour of actress Kirstie who just passed away. They'll be known as Kirstie's Alley. (RIP). Now I have to go and investigate a different type of Alley, according to Barbi. So I'll be back in a few hours. read more
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The Alley T.
Hi Fox,…
2 years ago
Such good boba tea, unique flavors with perfect sweetness levels. Contender for the best boba in Houston! Good and quick service read more
2 years ago
Love it! Got the brown sugar milk tea with deerioca (so cute, it's tapicoa but with deer). The drink tastes great-it reminds me of cereal milk haha. The sweetness is just right for me. read more
3 years ago
Drinks are not overly sweet but pricy. I don't remember what drink I got but it came with crystal boba. The crystal boba is delicious. Lines are long but drinks were coming out fairly quickly. The plaza is very popular and you may have trouble finding parking on the weekends read more
2 years ago
Boba lovers, come on down!! I live about an hour away from this area and I wish they would open a few more around Houston, but every time around (or my friends that lives here comes to visit) I always ask them to bring me some. Although there are MANY around town, the alley has always been consistent!! The cream, texture and the boba itself always seem like it's made fresh each day. My go to is the brown sugar crème brûlée - or ube crème brûlée !! Staff is friendly, decent enough of seating inside and they do offer other desserts if you want something else besides boba. Overall, although the price is high, I do think you're paying for what you're getting. read more
3 years ago
Came here to this location for the first time. Leaving Hawaii, we thought we'd never see our favorite boba drink spot ever again until we accidentally drove by this place. It's still a bit of a drive from our home, but we'll always stop by whenever we're in the Katy area. We love the Brown Sugar Deerioca Crème Brulee Milk. It has boba mochi (tapioca) balls and flan-like pieces that take this drink to a-whole-nother level. Definitely worth it! The staff are friendly and fast. There are a lot of parking, but it's shared by a lot of awesome eateries so the parking can get packed. There are a few tables and chairs to chill at. read more
Randomly came and know that they just opened, but not super crowded. Interior is bright, welcoming with minimal aesthetic. Their "deerioca" is on a softer side so for everyone who enjoy cotton-feel boba you'll like it. The menu is comparatively small , not too much to choose from but also not overwhelming. Won't go wrong with their brown sugar drinks, especially the ones with crème-brûlée- Yum!!! read more
Let me start this review by saying that I am no boba tea expert or connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination. I drink milk tea very occasionally. With that being said, I do visit several boba tea shops in the area with friends although I almost always order a variation of jasmine green tea. I visited The Alley on a recommendation from a friend who convinced me to try a few of the boba tea flavors. I was not disappointed! Upon entering the shop, I took note of how clean and organized the layout was. The entire shop is decorated very nicely with a modern design and style. The shop was definitely busy but not crowded and the line was moving fast. I appreciated that they had a sign displaying the most popular drinks. Still I had a few questions, which the staff graciously answered. After a bit of discussion and consideration, I decided to order three drinks to sample. The first one I ordered was the most popular drink there, which was the Brown Sugar Deerioca Crème Brûlée. I was expecting to be overwhelmed with sweetness but to my surprise it was not overly sweet. In fact, for someone who doesn't drink a lot of boba tea because of the sweetness, I thoroughly enjoyed the Brown Sugar Deerioca Crème Brûlée! I want to call it the Brown Sugar Dessert because that is what it felt like I was treating myself to. The creaminess and texture of the milk, pudding and tapioca made an irresistible combination that made me want more. This is a winner! Next up was the Ube Crème Brûlée. This was also a very good drink. It was more rich than the Brown Sugar crème brûlée and I could definitely taste the ube, which was great. Again, not overly sweet and all in all, was a close second to the Brown Sugar version. A solid competitor for top drink. Finally, for consistency sake, I ordered a Jasmine Green Tea. If I'm not a boba connoisseur then maybe I am a Jasmine Green Tea connoisseur. Easily in my top two Jasmine Green Tea drinks in the Houston area so far. The strength of the taste was just right for me and was a refreshing way to wash down the previous two drinks. I can never go wrong with a good Jasmine Green Tea and The Alley didn't go wrong with what they served me today. In summary, this was an enjoyable experience in a clean, efficient establishment. The drinks were excellent. Highly recommended! I look forward to visiting again to support this business. read more
2 years ago
Great location, sleek and modern decor with delicious Boba and pastries. Whether you want tapioca or Boba or jelly, they've got you covered. The brown sugar deerioca is velvety, just the right amount of sweet with a good brewed tea flavor. I do recommend shaking it up to mix everything before you indulge. read more
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