Hidden gem in the heart of downtown Hilo. Clean store with entrances on both sides. Private parking at the back. The store is setup as a self serve order and pay first. Then sit down and the food will be served. We ordered the Bun Bo Hue and Bo Banh Mi. Both were very tasty and authentic. We're definitely coming back here! read more

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Pho is very delicious, very generous portions that I was so happy with. The broth is nothing like any other pho place in Hilo. Broth came in hot hot hot and the service was fast and great! Owners have been around for a long time so they are part of our Hilo community. Appetizers were Ono, everything authentic! read more

My son and I ate there recently. I had the lemongrass noodle salad and he had the lemongrass bahn mi. We shared a side of spring roll. Everything we ate was very delicious. The other patrons were eating pho and it smelled so good and it was evident that everyone was enjoying their soup. Would definitely go back to try the pho! read more

A small, cute hole-in-the-wall restaurant with amazing bahn mi sandwiches! My partner and I decided to give Tiger Tea a try for an early dinner. We ordered the combination pho, combination bahn mi, and deep fried spring rolls. Although boba tea was tempting, we didn't feel like anything sweet that night. Perhaps on our next visit! Pho: The pho was quite good, leaning more sweet and herbal than our favorite pho place in Hilo. The chili oil provided was pretty spicy and wonderful! We would have loved to have more basil, jalapeños, and bean sprouts for the pho though. We will ask next time. Bahn mi: The combination bahn mi exceeded my expectations and is my favorite here in Hilo. I'm really picky when it comes to bahn mi, so that's saying something! The bread was perfectly crispy and crackly on the outside while remaining soft on the inside. The pate was meaty with a nice peppercorn kick. The thinly sliced pickled daikon and crisp cilantro worked well to cut through all of that salty ham. I love veggies, so will ask for extra next time. So yummy! Spring rolls: Very crunchy, but just your average spring roll to be honest. Good nonetheless. Service is quick, friendly, and efficient. For dine-in, you simply seat yourself and check out the menu, which is posted everywhere on the walls. All tables come with utensils, napkins, and condiments. Water is self serve as each table gets their own pitcher, which I love. Order at the counter if you want takeout. Overall, Tiger Tea has a killer bahn mi, pretty decent pho, and your basic crunchy spring rolls. We will definitely be back for the bahn mi and to give their other dishes a try. Last thing, bahn mi is amazing, if I didn't already mention. lol. read more

Tiger Tea - Combination Bahn mi - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Ordered mango slush with boba. They charged me for the boba. It's written on the cup. But guess what they left out? The boba! read more

Tiger Tea - Mango slush. No boba. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

We sort of discovered this place when walking around in the area. Sort of a hole in the wall but tasty authentic grinds. We got spring rolls and papaya salad with shrimp. Really Ono! So good we came back the next day for more food! The area can be gritty at times but this place is a gem. read more

The drink was okay but the staff wasn't that friendly or nice. We were in desperate need of charging our phones to get back to our spot on the other side of the island but they refused to let us charge for even like 5+ min of our time being there so we had to hunt for a lightning cable & there was not much around. Good thing our last option (gas station) had a cable otherwise we would be very lost. I understand this place has a right to refuse but a little help & kindness wouldn't hurt. Lesson learned: make sure you bring all your electronic resources. read more

Tiger Tea - Boba Photo Op - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

This is my third review this place. I had Grilled ( BBQ ) Pork Rice plate at this time. Served with Vietnamese Meatloaf and Shredded Pork Skin. Pork was very flavorful and tender. ( wish get little bit more quantity ) Meatloaf was awesome. Very authentic. (Fried onions was touching ) I haven't eaten this for so long because no place make this in Hilo. Also Shredded Pork Skin was awesome. I really like authentic ( traditional ) way. Never like Americanize food. I always enjoy dine in here and very certified. read more

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Love Ding Tea from the mainland, so when they first arrived to Hilo, I was ecstatic! The service here is prompt and friendly, and it's a great hangout spot with board games to play. Unfortunately for me, everything I order here seems to be a misfire, but maybe that is my fault. One of the items (not on the official menu, but on a sign on one of the walls) was strawberry oolong milk tea, and I thought, "Wow, that sounds really cool! I wonder why I haven't seen that before!" And now I know why. The taste was just not right. The smokiness from the oolong combined with the tart strawberry jam resulted in a soapy, almost chemical-like flavor. It was not the business! I'd kindly recommend removing it from the menu! Those flavors are just not meant to be combined. On a more positive note, my boyfriend got the burnt cream mashed tarp drink, which was delicious and blowtorched by hand, which was awesome! The brûlée top was smoky and crackly on the top. And the store is adorable. Honestly, I will still probably come back, because they have so many flavors they offer and I just can't resist. read more

Tiger Tea - Burnt cream taro, kiwi juice aloe, strawberry oolong milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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What a GEM! The monster boba tea was DIVINE! The tapioca pearls were a PERFECT consistency, the brown sugar was rich and comforting, the milk and tea were beautifully balanced and helped offset the sweetness, and most importantly, the drink was COLD! The temperature is a make-it-or-break-it piece of the pie, so if you take a sip and it's warm, stop drinking and start stirring/shaking. It is such a GREAT drink! We're starting strong here! Now on to the banh mi! OMG! I tried all three, and they're all bussin'! They have lemongrass BBQ pork, chicken, and tofu banh mi options, and I LOVED them all! The bread is crispy, hollow, and soft. The proteins are flavored beautifully in a tangy, sweet, sour, and savory sauce/marinade; the pickled veggies add a tart and sweet crunch, the cilantro adds brightness and pepperiness, and the jalapenos add a much-welcomed spice IMO, one of the BEST banh mi spots on the island! Thank YOU, Tiger's Tea, for the ʻonolicious tea and banh mi! I'll definitely be back soon! Follow me on Instagram for more food and travel MUSTs @bigislandfoodieandtraveler read more

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We were craving boba, so we decided to go with a franchise that we were familiar with. I ordered a Signature boba milk tea and my partner got the winter-melon green tea. The winter melon green tea was on the sweeter side, but refreshing. The boba milk tea was okay. I usually prefer my tea flavors stronger, so it was a bit too much sugar and creamer to tea ratio for me. The actual boba was a bit too soft for me and not chewy enough. Overall, prices were fair. I wish their teas were a bit stronger and boba was not so overcooked. 3.5/5, but I rounded up because service was friendly. read more

Yup, just yup!!! Don't not go. You have to go. We had the flank pho, bbq pork lemongrass bahn mi, and spring rolls. Brought my 10 y/o son who hasn't had much Vietnamese food. He said everything was winners. He is not lying, it was certainly ono. Planning on coming back. read more

We absolutely love this place! From their many types of pho to their refreshing cold noodle dishes, you really can't go wrong. Every bite is bursting with flavor. read more

Changed location (previously DingTea, but now a family owned restaurant, Tiger Tea). Still good foods and drink favorites. Good service, and nice ambiance (wasn't too busy when I went). Come on by~ read more

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When I heard a new boba place opened up, I just had to try it! I love how the boba culture is popping during my time in Hilo. It's located in Downtown next to Ocean's Sushi on Keawe Street. There's only street parking and sometimes, it gets kind of difficult to park during peak hours. I've tried their taro milk tea, oolong milk tea, Hokkaido milk tea, wintermelon milk tea, and some others. Each time, I was unimpressed due either a bit too watery or lack of tea flavor. But most recently I tried their mango milk tea. And surprisingly, this is the first drink I've gotten and liked! It was very unique with a lot of mango flavor (no bits) but also a deep tea flavor which I really liked! I was even gutsy enough to throw in some taro walls with my mango milk tea and surprisingly, it came out really yummy! It wasn't too weird that the flavors didn't mesh well together. I think this is now my to-go drink here! I also tried one of my friend's oolong milk tea at 50% sweetness once, and I loved it! But weirdly, every time I got the oolong milk tea after that, it always tasted watery to me. I guess things always taste better when it's not mine. LOL. I do recommend this place if you want to try some interesting mixes such as strawberry oolong (friend recently got that). Now that I finally found a fav drink after many trials, I will be be back! read more

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Very friendly staff and quick service. Food came out quickly and the food was DELICIOUS! Since we started coming here, it has been our third time here in a couple weeks. The drinks are great as well. read more

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Too many opt. No sweet is better ww Thai ice and coffee, or Jasmin grren tea chai with bova so ono read more

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Ding Tea Hilo is a very cute shop! I'd been walking around Hilo with my boyfriend and had stopped in a KTA store for some sun relief. Once we left, we'd found Ding Tea Hilo just be walking around. There was a 'People love us on Yelp' sticker outside the door and we had to stop in. Ding Tea Hilo has a really cute interior and even a selfie wall. My boyfriend and I usually get milk tea/fruit tea and least once a week. Upon looking at the member, it felt just like ordering at home. We'd only see clear tapioca pearls here rather than the black tapioca pearls we're used to. My boyfriend didn't care of the clear pearls as much as the black ones he's had before. I'm not a big tapioca pearl fan unless it's in pudding. Ding Tea Hilo has some really wonderful flavors. My boyfriend ended up with the pineapple fruit tea and I got the kiwi fruit tea. If you're looking for something cold while walking around Hilo, this would make for an excellent stop! There are so many flavors and the seating inside is abundant so you could hang out with some friends here too! Loved this find and would recommend it highly! read more

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Came here the first night we got into Hilo because it's super close to where we were staying. The food was okay at best but I appreciated they had a vegan pho option. The portion was good, but prices are higher here than at Pho 99 a block away where the food is even better. Also, the restaurant didn't have working AC; it was hot and uncomfortable to dine in (especially having pho on a hot day). read more

Ding Tea is my go to in LA so I was excited to see one here amidst the other meh boba shops around the area. Highly recommend the Hokkaido Milk Tea with Golden Boba. Opt for 50% or less sugar! read more

Tiger Tea - Hokkaido Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Drinks: taro mash green milk tea + pudding, 50% sweet. One of the highlights of this beverage is the natural taro mash. However, for almost $8, I don't think I'd go for this drink again. Compared to other places, I think they skimped on the amount of pudding and taro chunks in the tea Ambience: it's a big space with a lot of seating, but the lack of wifi and AC makes it an impossible study spot or even a place to hang out for over 30 minutes. I get cold easily, but after I finished my drink I was dying to get out - kinda nuts to have a spot in Hawaii without AC or a tradewind breeze They have an extensive menu, so I do wanna try different drinks to see if they're more worth the $ and possibly update this review. Regardless, given the few boba spots in town, ding tea will do well anyways read more

Tiger Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Delicious dishes and sandwich. Served a group of 7 people in 10 minutes! The only let down was the chicken phó had more gristle than meat. They offered any sweetness level for the tea, which is nice when most places just make everything super sweet. Really friendly host, decent portions but not overwhelming. read more

Great restaurant, excellent food, wonderful service. This is a cute shop and the food is so fresh. read more

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Amazing food, very fair prices, and very accommodating. Definitely a place to try if you find yourself in Hilo!

Ordered the Hokkaido oolong milk tea. It's definitely an interesting flavor as the hokkaido style indicates brown sugar in the cup and then it's mixed in with the oolong tea. Usually it's just plain milk tea or it's the brown sugar style but not the two together. I don't know if I necessarily loved it as I wish there was more tea flavor but this place has pretty respectable milk tea that's more authentic. Definitely recommend hitting it up if you're in Hilo and craving some milk tea. read more

Tiger Tea - Hokkaido oolong milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I tried to come to Ding Tea twice, but they were closed, even though the hours online and posted on their door said they would be open. When they were finally open, I tried the passion fruit black tea with the regular boba. Unfortunately, we came closer to closing, so they ran out of the golden boba. The boba had a good texture, and I liked the passion fruit flavoring. The service was quick, and the inside of the store is cute. read more

Tiger Tea - passion fruit black tea with boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Great food and service. Had the pork banh mi and it was delicious. Tea is good too, lots of options.

Best banh mi I have had since moving to Puna 5+ years ago. Bread was SO fresh; had a nice crispy outside and soft center. I ordered a lemongrass bbq pork (thit heo nuong xa) banh mi and it was seasoned so nicely with the perfect ratio of daikon, cucumber and cilantro. They had hoisin, siracha and chili table-side so you could add to your liking. I had summer rolls as an app (goi cuon) and the shrimp were large and the peanut sauce was not too sweet. I didn't see it on the menu but ordered lemonade/ nuoc chanh and it was delicious! Can't wait to go back and try other dishes. Ngon quá! read more

Good boba and decent service. Lots of classic milk tea boba stuff on the menu and also some ones I had never seen before (Yakult lychee boba?! Yum!). The couple of times I ordered from this place it wasn't too busy, and COVID protocols seem to be in line with the rest of Hilo. I felt safe. Bathrooms: Never used them; didn't get a chance to check. read more

Good and clean service. A bit pricey, but the goat pho is awesome. Banh mi sandwiches are also very good. Regards Beau Toichi read more

Review based solely off of the Quality of the Chocolate Milk tea & Strawberry Milk tea. Horrible flavor in both drinks. Chocolate had a weird mint after taste & just wasn't good compared to other chocolate milk teas I've had on island . The strawberry milk tea tasted like a fruity green tea type of flavor but in milk... awful. Service was nice . And Ambiance was nice as well. I'll be back to review the food next . read more

Best Tea and Boba in Hilo , hands down. When I heard Ding tea was coming to Hilo I almost couldn't believe it. Finally, a REAL authentic Taiwanese style boba tea house. I love in Southern California in a city (Temple city) where we have THE BEST boba in the world. Ding tea is a chain of tea house that has high quality teas. Glad Hilo gets to finally experience what authentic boba tea taste like. read more

The pho was good, but the banh mi was not so good. The bread was kind of stale and the combination of bad bread and meat inside didn't go together at all. The pho and banh mi with bread made from scratch at home taste ten times better than here. The Hokkaido milk tea wasn't what I expected either. I was expecting creamy but good milk tea, but it was kind of watered down milk tea. I will not be coming back. read more

My friend and I came across this place after walking around downtown Hilo. Nice decor on the wall, and there is angel wings by the entrance where you can take your picture. Ambiance is inviting and its a cool place to hangout. Being our first time here, the friendly employee showed us a "top ten" poster with the most popular drinks. I ordered the matcha latte and was given the option to add boba. The matcha was thick, milky and flavorful. My friend and I hung out for awhile and people watched. Shes a Hilo resident and mentioned she was going to bring her family to try this place out. Nice place to stop by for a refreshing drink when you're in downtown. read more

Enjoyed this place, felt like authentic Vietnamese food. Tried the lemongrass pork, beef bahn mi sandwich, and BBQ pork chop plate. I would def go here again. I give it 5 stars but the only thing I'd change: give more rice on the plates ( I could have eaten more and I'm not a heavy eater to begin with). read more

Tasty boba tea bar in downtown Hilo. So many choices and options. You can also order ahead using the Clover app, which I didn't realize until after we ordered. Service is pretty quick. read more

Tiger Tea - Perfect for posing next to - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I love that Hilo has boba and it's ding tea, one of my favorite boba chains. The golden boba is amazing. read more

Tiger Tea - Menu as of August 2022 - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Friendly family run franchise, owners kids were hanging out in back. Quick and excellent service with numerous choices. Thanks to Ding Tea

A BOBA CHAIN IN HILO??! The timing was perfect since I've been away from Hilo for a few years, so coming back to some much needed boba was a blessing in itself! For all my Hilo Yelpers, this review might be slightly biased since I've had mainland boba, so I'll try to be impartial with a fresh perspective. So let's break it down: Setting/Service: Location is in downtown Hilo, right next to Ocean Sushi, so the parking situation is already pretty meh (only street parking). Inside, the place is cute, decorations and wall art definitely add a modern touch to the rest of old downtown. The staff was friendly, even though they look cramped in the little corner that they were working in, but the service was quick! *hint* right next to the pay machine is a 5-star reward program to put your phone number in and earn points, so make sure you use it! Drinks: I ordered the Wintermelon Milk Tea, which is my go-to for milk teas. This location does not allow for sweetness adjustments so it was pretty sweet (usually get less sugar). Additionally, I ordered boba but I guess they didn't hear me, since it wasn't included, but I wasn't charged either, so it was ok! Otherwise, the drink was great! Overall: B Decent boba for a boba-less town! Hilo has definitely needed a boba chain to come to town, so Ding Tea is definitely a great addition. So make sure you check it out! read more

Tiger Tea - Wintermelon Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

I used to frequent this place a lot prior to Covid as do many of my coworkers. However, today I decided to go there, and the drink I ordered, Blueberry Milk tea with Golden boba tasted like the water they used to make the drink was sitting in the machine for a while, or the machine had not been cleaned. Kinda like when you don't descale your Keurig. So unfortunately, I was very disappointed because I don't even remember them using a machine to make their tea for each drink. But I no longer want to purchase drinks if such is the case. read more