Top Tea + Espresso
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Went in at 10:40 am for my early mid-day snack. Got a Pina Colada smoothie for husband and Brown Sugar Milk Tea with boba and grass jelly. Both at 0% sugar yet it's still sweet enough for us! Got the egg tarts, which were delicious. They serve lunch too; menu of udon and also rice dishes topped with shoyu pork belly. Will try next time.
Come here at least 3 times a week, almost every day. Really disappointed The photos show two drinks I got around 7PM on June 21. After one sip, my drink was mostly ice. The drink for my friend hadn't even been opened and it was packed full of ice. I did NOT order extra ice or less ice, but my drink still had way less liquid. Quality control has gotten really inconsistent. 如果你摇出来的奶茶太少了就选择直接偷懒用冰补满吗？？？一点点就算了这太夸张了吧 我朋友还要再开回来 说可以重新做 这个女生做的奶茶也没表现抱歉一副无所谓的样子 还是男生说的不好意思 但是为什么要跟我说这样是你们店正常的出品品质呢 我会不知道是什么样的吗？如果你喜欢摆臭脸就不要做服务业相关的工作 谢谢 PLS don't expect me to pay 7 dollars for a cup of ice.
Came here on Feb. 18th because I was really craving boba so I got 1 for me & 1 for my grandma and its still the absolute best for both of us and she genuinely gets so excited when I ask her if she wants a drink too because she hardly ever comes to this side of the island unless she absolutely has to for something health related so definitely will continue to come here!
The teas were delicious! The Winterberry was sweet and unexpected. The lemon also had strong flavor and just the right sweetness. The guys who worked there were so nice. They could tell we had never been there before and asked all the appropriate questions to make sure we got exactly what we wanted. They allow you to personalize the level of sweetness, which serves a variety of people, so this place is great for everyone. The shop is small, but there are places to sit down and enjoy your drink. They also have a few light few food choices.
Cozy boba spot tucked around the corner of a Subway. Ample parking because of the entire plaza. Seating is available but no restrooms. We snagged a plethora of drinks but most notably, the ube trifecta. Ube Black Milk Tea w/ Boba - milk tea was light but very refreshing. The ube mixed alright but as ube is a subtle flavor, the overall taste didn't change much. Definitely more aesthetic but I'd opt for another ube option or a classic milk tea.
This t-shirt might be hard to find but if you look for the Times Supermarket and nice day Chinese restaurant it's just around the corner. A huge assortment of drinks to choose from which you can vary the sugar and Ice level which I appreciate. They also have dairy Alternatives which I definitely appreciate! I got the Ube Taro milk tea with pudding soy milk light ice and zero sugar. My friend got the brown sugar milk tea with boba. The bobaristas were friendly, our drinks came out fast and tasted great! There are some tables outside so you could sit and enjoy your drink and it looks like they also offer a small menu of food but we didn't get any.
Amazing once again. Everytime I go, I love their drinks. My absolute favorite is the Strawberry Black Milk Tea, half sweet.
Hard to find boba spots with so many options! The Tea was so flavorful and we enjoyed all the drinks. I recommend this spot
I came here with a group of my former coworkers from almost 20 years ago. One suggested to meet at the boba tea shop at Liliha Square. She didn't tell me the name. I had to coordinate with my other coworkers. She finally revealed the name when she arrived at Top Tea + Espresso next to Subway. I normally research the restaurants before I get there. So, I would know what to order from reading the reviews from everyone local. This time, I did a quick glance at the pictures people posted. There were too many to choose from. I ended up getting my usual Honeydew with tapioca balls aka boba. The drink tasted ok and the price was really reasonable. I was complaining about the weak straw until my local friend told me it was because they used biodegradable straws. Ah ok. It cracked all over the directions. I couldn't use it to suck up the boba. I had to use a spoon to scoop them out. The location is kind of funky. We sat at the concrete table on the walkway. There were transients walking toward the public restroom. Quite a scene that busy night. Oh. One more thing. Don't be mistaken this "Top Tea" with "Tea Top", which is an international franchise from Taiwan and the mainland. This is definitely a locally owned and operated restaurant on Oahu.
Lately, price of boba is climbing and quality is declining. But Top Tea knows how to make a perfect bubble tea, and their prices are more than reasonable! I'm not in the Kalihi area often but when I am, I stop by Top Tea + Espresso because (1) Their teas and smoothies taste fresh! (2) Their boba is perfectly sweetened and the texture is delightfully chewy. (3) Customer service is excellent. The staff is always kind, friendly and happy! Today, I enjoyed a large mango green tea, 50% sweetness with boba. It was exactly what I wanted. Craving satisfied! My boyfriend enjoyed his mango peach smoothie with boba. Tip: You cannot adjust sweetness for smoothies. Also, you can choose up to 2 flavors!
Located around the corner of Times this unassuming shop is my boyfriend's favorite place to get an iced americano. They offer a variety of drinks and desserts and have a few tables inside where you can sit and enjoy their offerings. We're always greeted with a smile and enjoy their service even if it's brief. On our last visit we got to try their egg tarts, they were freshly baked so we tried our best to let them cool before sinking our teeth in them and they were so yummy. Not too sweet & the crust was light & flaky, just how we like them. They participate in Five Stars so make sure you always put your number in to rack up those rewards!
Very neat store and it make the drink in decent time. Is another hidden gem that you don't want to missed it. This is another place you can get nice drink and they also offer ice cream too.
16 days ago
Staffs are friendly and accommodating. The drinks are good and the dine in space is small, but homey. Still have yet to try the food. read more
Excellent service the minute you walk in the door. Several yummy drinks to choose so we went with tropical fruit tea ( I really wanted the mui one but next time). You can choose the sweetness-we chose 25% with green tea. I can taste the lychee, mango and pineapple. Refreshing! Cant wait to go back. read more
26 days ago
Went in at 10:40 am for my early mid-day snack. Got a Pina Colada smoothie for husband and Brown Sugar Milk Tea with boba and grass jelly. Both at 0% sugar yet it's still sweet enough for us! Got the egg tarts, which were delicious. They serve lunch too; menu of udon and also rice dishes topped with shoyu pork belly. Will try next time. read more
2 months ago
Come here at least 3 times a week, almost every day. Really disappointed The photos show two drinks I got around 7PM on June 21. After one sip, my drink was mostly ice. The drink for my friend hadn't even been opened and it was packed full of ice. I did NOT order extra ice or less ice, but my drink still had way less liquid. Quality control has gotten really inconsistent. 如果你摇出来的奶茶太少了就选择直接偷懒用冰补满吗？？？一点点就算了这太夸张了吧 我朋友还要再开回来 说可以重新做 这个女生做的奶茶也没表现抱歉一副无所谓的样子 还是男生说的不好意思 但是为什么要跟我说这样是你们店正常的出品品质呢 我会不知道是什么样的吗？如果你喜欢摆臭脸就不要做服务业相关的工作 谢谢 PLS don't expect me to pay 7 dollars for a cup of ice. read more
Came here on Feb. 18th because I was really craving boba so I got 1 for me & 1 for my grandma and its still the absolute best for both of us and she genuinely gets so excited when I ask her if she wants a drink too because she hardly ever comes to this side of the island unless she absolutely has to for something health related so definitely will continue to come here! read more
The teas were delicious! The Winterberry was sweet and unexpected. The lemon also had strong flavor and just the right sweetness. The guys who worked there were so nice. They could tell we had never been there before and asked all the appropriate questions to make sure we got exactly what we wanted. They allow you to personalize the level of sweetness, which serves a variety of people, so this place is great for everyone. The shop is small, but there are places to sit down and enjoy your drink. They also have a few light few food choices. read more
1 year ago
Cozy boba spot tucked around the corner of a Subway. Ample parking because of the entire plaza. Seating is available but no restrooms. We snagged a plethora of drinks but most notably, the ube trifecta. Ube Black Milk Tea w/ Boba - milk tea was light but very refreshing. The ube mixed alright but as ube is a subtle flavor, the overall taste didn't change much. Definitely more aesthetic but I'd opt for another ube option or a classic milk tea. read more
2 years ago
This t-shirt might be hard to find but if you look for the Times Supermarket and nice day Chinese restaurant it's just around the corner. A huge assortment of drinks to choose from which you can vary the sugar and Ice level which I appreciate. They also have dairy Alternatives which I definitely appreciate! I got the Ube Taro milk tea with pudding soy milk light ice and zero sugar. My friend got the brown sugar milk tea with boba. The bobaristas were friendly, our drinks came out fast and tasted great! There are some tables outside so you could sit and enjoy your drink and it looks like they also offer a small menu of food but we didn't get any. read more
1 year ago
8 months ago
Hard to find boba spots with so many options! The Tea was so flavorful and we enjoyed all the drinks. I recommend this spot read more
I came here with a group of my former coworkers from almost 20 years ago. One suggested to meet at the boba tea shop at Liliha Square. She didn't tell me the name. I had to coordinate with my other coworkers. She finally revealed the name when she arrived at Top Tea + Espresso next to Subway. I normally research the restaurants before I get there. So, I would know what to order from reading the reviews from everyone local. This time, I did a quick glance at the pictures people posted. There were too many to choose from. I ended up getting my usual Honeydew with tapioca balls aka boba. The drink tasted ok and the price was really reasonable. I was complaining about the weak straw until my local friend told me it was because they used biodegradable straws. Ah ok. It cracked all over the directions. I couldn't use it to suck up the boba. I had to use a spoon to scoop them out. The location is kind of funky. We sat at the concrete table on the walkway. There were transients walking toward the public restroom. Quite a scene that busy night. Oh. One more thing. Don't be mistaken this "Top Tea" with "Tea Top", which is an international franchise from Taiwan and the mainland. This is definitely a locally owned and operated restaurant on Oahu. read more
3 years ago
Lately, price of boba is climbing and quality is declining. But Top Tea knows how to make a perfect bubble tea, and their prices are more than reasonable! I'm not in the Kalihi area often but when I am, I stop by Top Tea + Espresso because (1) Their teas and smoothies taste fresh! (2) Their boba is perfectly sweetened and the texture is delightfully chewy. (3) Customer service is excellent. The staff is always kind, friendly and happy! Today, I enjoyed a large mango green tea, 50% sweetness with boba. It was exactly what I wanted. Craving satisfied! My boyfriend enjoyed his mango peach smoothie with boba. Tip: You cannot adjust sweetness for smoothies. Also, you can choose up to 2 flavors! read more
2 years ago
Located around the corner of Times this unassuming shop is my boyfriend's favorite place to get an iced americano. They offer a variety of drinks and desserts and have a few tables inside where you can sit and enjoy their offerings. We're always greeted with a smile and enjoy their service even if it's brief. On our last visit we got to try their egg tarts, they were freshly baked so we tried our best to let them cool before sinking our teeth in them and they were so yummy. Not too sweet & the crust was light & flaky, just how we like them. They participate in Five Stars so make sure you always put your number in to rack up those rewards! read more
9 months ago
1 year ago
Very neat store and it make the drink in decent time. Is another hidden gem that you don't want to missed it. This is another place you can get nice drink and they also offer ice cream too. read more
11 months ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
The amount of ice they put is unbelievable, it fills almost the entire cup and leaves very little actual drink. read more
open decently late and drinks are okay. I got the ube black milk tea and the fresh ube is a nice addition but my straw was so cheap and thin that I cracked it while stirring the drink. I think the black tea could be a little stronger. it's pretty tho! opinions were mixed between drinks being too sweet and just right with the adjustments. read more
8 months ago
5 years ago
The mango smoothie is very sour. It's hard to explain because it doesn't taste like it contains any real fruit. I don't know how a smoothie with only syrup for flavor would end up being such a sourpuss. Aside from that, the boba is on the firmer side, not a good or bad thing, just info for those tapioca connoisseurs that prefer a certain texture of boba. The location is on the side of the building with Times. Staff was fine, but the straw wrapper had some milk on it. I might go back and try a milk tea drink, but as for the smoothies, which are my normal go-to drink, never again from here. read more
11 months ago
I was shopping at Times Supermarket in Liiliha, and afterwards I had a craving for bubble tea. I referred to Yelp to find the nearest bubble tea place and right around the corner was Top Tea + Espresso. This was a first visit and I was not disappointed. I ordered the Brown Sugar Tiger Milk with boba, almond milk and 25% sweetness. It was sweeter than I expected so maybe next time I'll add zero sweetness. Yes I want to return! The service was great and the menu has a variety of bobas and teas. The reviews were also positive. Parking is not a problem and there is indoor seating if you choose to sit and enjoy your drink. A great start to my summer break! read more
I found out about this place from the Five Stars app and they gave 20% off a drink. I tried the lychee green tea. It was good, but not super special. I might have to go back to try one of the heavier drinks that looked good but I wasn't in the mood for at the time like the ube milk. They are not cheap, but not too expensive, but the parking is kinda crazy in that lot! read more
Was in the mood for boba after dinner but I've found that a lot of boba shops now close early. I'm so happy to have stumbled upon Top Tea through Yelp! They have an extensive menu, ordering process was easy, and our drinks came out quickly. I got a Jasmine Milk Tea with soy and 25% sweetness. Although it's labeled as a Green Milk Tea on their menu. I'm happy Top Tea offers dairy alternatives, as it can be a hit or miss at boba shops. My milk tea was good, not overly sweet nor bitter, and wasn't too heavy. My boyfriend got the Lava Flow with boba which he really enjoyed. I had a sip and it was sweet and creamy. We'll be back if we're in the area. I want to try their ube because all the pictures look amazing! read more
I heard this tea place used to be Friends Cafe. I enjoyed their tea and desserts. Glad they returned when Friend Cafe closed. Located next to Times. A lot of parking, My favorite drinks are their flowery tea ones. Rose green milk tea and lavender milk tea are my favorite! Both can taste the tea and the flowery taste. I was able to adjust the sugar level so it's not too sweet. I had the topping of grass jelly with my drink. I loved it! It was cut into cubes so easier to drink into my straw. Flowery milk tea is not very common in tea places here. This place is one of the few that has. Highly recommend it. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Top Tea is located around the corner in Liliha by Times Supermarket and Nice Day Restaurant. They have menus on nice big screens upon entry. We ordered the Wintermelon tea, Brown sugar milk tea, Brown sugar tiger milk, and Espresso milk tea. My Tiger milk drink was customized with soy milk as it was an option. I'm glad that I got it unsweetened as the brown sugar tiger milk was so sweet by itself. All our drinks were really good, though. Boba was great too! If you want to upgrade to their cute Top Tea souvenir "milk box" or can container (both plastic), you can do that for an additional fee. Open for takeout only. 15 minute parking right in front if available. read more
2 years ago
Thank you Top Tea for the 10% off :) We sincerely understand that times are challenging now with covid and we are pleased to see you folks are open for business. Hopefully doing well and grateful that you're offering this new ube flavor! It is so yummy! read more
Business owner information
Jeffrey C.
Aloha Jolene,…
Confessions of a self proclaimed boba connoisseur: When I saw Jolene L. Stop by two times in one week, with the load of ube drinks... It just put me in ube mode. I first discovered and fell in love with cheese foam when I tried it at Friend Cafe. I used to have to visit weekly. Make some excuse of why I need to be in town and happen upon the cafe, constantly. By coincidence of course. Since then, the building is no more and I heard the boba shop relocated but I never tried hard enough to follow. I did try the other Friend Cafe location in OHM, but didn't enjoy it as much as the Kapiolani location. Lately with all the buzz about the ube walls and the cute carton shaped containers, people have put two and two together with Friend Cafe and Top Tea! As much as I love cute, branded containers... these just don't look practical enough for me to jump on. Especially now with COVID precautions, no reusable items are to be filled. Just unfortunate for planet Earth, yet understandable for safety reasons. For the ube, I can say the rage is legit. Ube has been around a long time. It's just now it's being used in different, interesting ways and I'm sure we're all here for it. On to the drinks. There were three ube options. Milk tea, ube taro milk tea and ube milk. The ube taro and ube milk are made with non dairy and no caffeine, if I remember correctly. When he said that, I was deeply conflicted. I love my milk tea, but I love non dairy options so much more. Since my eldest wanted the ube taro MT, I decided to go with the MT since I don't like getting doubles. I really wish more places would get on the "dairy alternative" movement. My drink was good. I love the taste of their milk tea. I added cheese foam, like ol' times. Still very good. The ube, I could take it or leave it. It didn't make the drink weird, but it didn't make the drink shine either. I mixed it in, from the walls, then it just sat at the bottom of my cup. My boys had nothing bad to say about their drinks, they were all really good. The location is very different from their old spot. I'm not a huge fan of Kalihi, but I'll put up with it if there's something worth visiting. I haven't visited this area in a long time so I have no idea what the parking is like at all. I completely missed the lot, so we snagged street parking on the street above. Seems like a rare opportunity. Safety precautions are in place here, as much as they can control. Only one party allowed inside at a time, plastic barrier set up, and ground markers to designate "social distancing". For now, the nail salon next door is closed. But when they open back up, who knows what kind of chaos there will be blocking the business. I only encountered the employee manning the register and he was awesome. Could be the owner or manager, either way, you're great! He let me know I could place an order by phone and gave me a menu with all the info. Normally I'm good about those things but since we were traveling some ways, I didn't want to order ahead in case I didn't make it or whatever. When our order was ready (5 drinks), maybe within 5 minutes, he graciously thanked us for coming all the way out and handed our drinks. They were nicely packed in a carrier within a plastic bag. Just this brief interaction was enough for me to say the customer service here is great, I'm sure! Forgot to mention, during this time, our order got 10% off. I can't say if I'll be frequenting this spot as much as the Kapiolani spot, but I know I will be back soon. The tea, boba and the cheese foam here are legit. Worth it, I recommend! read more
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More info about Top Tea + Espresso
1425 Liliha St
Ste 10
Honolulu, HI 96817
Kalihi
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(808) 524-3888
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Ask the Community - Top Tea + Espresso
Do you have and sugar free options? I'd love to pay for a black coffee drink with crushed ice, no dairy and no sugar (I'm diabetic). Or tea would work, too. Thank you.
Yes. We do. You might order Americano which is black coffee. For tea options: plain tea like black tea, green tea or oolong tea. For milk tea options: we use non-dairy…
Do they offer catering?
What are their current hours of operation?
We currently open from 11a to 6p daily until further notice. Thank you
What is "Top's Black Milk Tea"? How does it differ from the regular "Black Milk Tea"?
It is steeped longer so the tea is stronger in taste
Do they have brown sugar milk tea and cheese toping?
Hi there, Yes, we do! Thanks
What flavor is Okinawa flavored milk tea? Is it a type of brown sugar?
Hi There, You’re right. Okinawa flavored milk tea is like Okinawan Brown Sugar. It’s slightly different than regular brown sugar taste
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
4 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
11 months ago
7 years ago
6 years ago
5 years ago
