First timers with a party of 12 and found our new favorite boba/snacks spot in Alameda. We ordered a total of nine drinks ranging from Thai iced tea, to mango and strawberry slushies, taro, with added fun lychee poppers etc. - we basically ordered half the menu and still felt wanting more! The fries were the perfect texture and came out fresh. We occupied majority of the space and the staff and owners welcomed us and did not rush us out (this literally happened at a neighboring boba spot in alameda- they were so rude. I forgot the name, please feel free to read my review on them). I encourage you to try this place out! Cheers! read more

Top Up - Sorry I only remembered to take a photo when everyone was almost done with their drinks smh. At least you know they loved them! - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

The absolute worst boba shop in Alameda. Do yourself a favor and don't go here. I've been here multiple times because I kept giving them another chance, but every visit seems to come with a new problem. One time there was a hair in my drink. On several other occasions I ordered a smoothie, only for it to be handed to me already melted. Even the popcorn chicken has gotten noticeably smaller over the years. The drinks aren't good either. The flavors don't taste authentic at all--they have a very artificial, fake taste, like they're just dumping flavored powder into a blender instead of using real ingredients. The shop itself is also poorly maintained. You can see dust and spiderwebs around the store, and it doesn't feel like cleanliness is a priority. I've given this place more chances than it deserved, hoping it would improve, but it never does. Save your money and go somewhere else. read more

Solid boba spot with refreshing drinks Stopped by Top Up in Alameda and tried the Blueberry Burst Boba and the House Special Milk Tea. The Blueberry Burst Boba was fruity, refreshing, and packed with blueberry flavor without being overly sweet. The popping boba added a fun texture and made the drink feel extra enjoyable. The House Special Milk Tea was smooth and well-balanced, with a rich tea flavor that came through nicely. The boba pearls were soft and chewy, and both drinks felt freshly made. Service was friendly and efficient, and the staff kept things moving quickly even during a busy period. The vibe is clean, modern, and relaxed, making it a nice place to stop for a quick drink or hang out with friends. Overall, a great local boba shop with reliable drinks and plenty of options to choose from. I'd come back to try more of their specialty drinks next time. read more

Top Up - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

Came in, ordered 3 drinks and food. Cashier told me my drink wasn't sealed correctly and said she was going to put a different lid (one with a large hole on top) on it. I tend to mix/swirl my drinks a lot. Plus I was transporting all the drinks elsewhere. I asked her if she could cut it, pour it into a new cup and reseal it. She looked at me like I was inconveniencing her despite no one else in the store. I got two slushies and they were more icey than anything. Got bacon cheese fries and waited over 15 minutes for food specifically. Upon receiving it, I immediately noticed a hair right on top.... Lady who brought the food was not wearing a hair net. Hair was in a hair clip. I told them there was a hair and they looked at me crazy. I asked for a refund. Cup holder tray was dirty as well. I would question how sanitary and clean this place is.. prices went up and topping charges are more than other boba places in alameda. Employees were rude and inconsiderate. Go elsewhere. There's also a 3% surcharge on cards that isn't noted upon payment. read more

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Parking lot free and spacious Small spot but well lit well decorated and so pretty Lots of selections, they have half gallon or full gallon Togo order too Order full gallon a few times to parties I go for their popcorn chicken, add more chili powder as well Service was friendly and fast Good place overall read more

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I was craving some tea so stopped by this shop since it was close by. Tons of parking in this little shopping center. Went on a Thursday afternoon and not busy at all. Ordered popcorn chicken ($7.95) and mango tango fruit tea ($6.75+.65 for boba). There's seating inside and some tables outside. It's not the cutest shop but tea isn't bad. It's not the best or somewhere I'd go out of my way to go - I felt even though I got 50% sugar the tea flavor itself was a bit weak, almost watery. Like other reviews the snack part was good or more why people would come here and I see that. (TBH I think the popcorn chicken at Boba Binge is better if you can go over to china town in Oakland.) Overall, decent. Curious to come back to try other teas or snacks. read more

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A Local Favorite for Boba and Hot Snacks (5/5 Stars) As a local to Alameda, this is my go-to spot for boba and delicious hot snacks. Everything on their menu is tasty and reasonably priced. I especially love their special teas; they have an endless list of refreshing combinations. Their popcorn chicken is the best on the island of Alameda--I can never visit without ordering it. It's a great place to hang out with a friend, catch up, and enjoy some amazing snacks.     It's a great spot to hangout with a friend to catch up and enjoy some amazing snacks. read more

Top Up - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

Rating: 3.5 We ordered the Tropical Breeze (not pictured) and a Strawberry Milk Tea with added strawberry jelly. The Tropical Breeze, which features honeydew and pineapple, is a good option if you enjoy sweet and tart flavors. The Strawberry Milk Tea tastes like a classic milk tea mixed with strawberry puree. The drinks can be hit or miss; some days they are great and other days not as much. The shop itself is cute, with tables and seating available. There is usually music playing, making it a nice place to relax or hang out. Based on my visits, I would rate the place around a 3 to 3.5. The drinks can be inconsistent, and while the service is courteous, it is not exceptional. When they first opened, this was one of the few boba spots in Alameda. Although there are now many more choices, it remains one of my regular options when I am craving boba in the area. read more

Top Up - Strawberry Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

Top Up has been one of my go-to boba spots in Alameda for a long time. There's just something about that place! I often get fruit drinks from there because almost all of them come with toppings. The drink my sibling and I always get is the Mango Tango, with 50% sweet and boba (I recommend!). I went there again today and I felt like it was finally time for a review. I got a Red Velvet drink with honey boba and it was good. My cousin dropped one of our drinks right outside, and staff was kind of enough to remake the drink for free. I also am obsessed with their hot season fries and their bacon cheese fries, which have this seasoning that I can't find anywhere else. Overall, Top Up has been consistent with their drinks! There have been times where I had to wait more than 10-15 minutes for drinks when it gets busy (from high schoolers), but I'm always happy with what I order from here! :) read more

Top Up - Red Velvet and Bacon Cheese Fries (already took a bite because it's so yummy) - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

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Honeydew milk tea 8/10 Jasmine milks tea 5/10 very light jasmine taste and watered down. Panda milk tea 9/10 The place isn't well lit at night. Plenty of parking as other establishment surrounding the shop is closed after and certain time. Located next to a market. Order at the kiosk. No one greets you. They will call your number on the left hand side of the counter. Didnt love the honey boba here. Would come back if I am in the area and want to avoid street parking off Park an Webster street boba shops. read more

Top Up - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

This might be the worst boba place in Alameda. The shop was dirty, there was basically no customer service, and it took 20 minutes to make two drinks even though it wasn't busy. Unfortunately, the drinks themselves were also subpar and not worth the wait. I wouldn't come back. read more

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Waited 20 minutes for 1 drink, I was the only person inside. The drink itself was average at best. Their explanation was they did not know I was inside, as all employees were sitting in the back. Would not come back. read more

I ordered 3 bobas and popcorn chicken today. Their bobas were ok, nothing to write home about. They definitely shorted me on their boba. We drank our bobas halfway and the boba balls were already gone. The popcorn chicken had no flavor at all. I noted on their kiosk that I wanted it extra spicy and the goth looking lady working by herself totally forgot about adding any spices. It wasn't busy but she did look a bit spaced out. The chicken was hard as if it was microwaved from a day of it sitting out. They could have marinated the chicken with salt but they didn't even do that. It tasted stale af. The chilli pepper barely helped. Never ordering the popcorn chicken again. read more

We were a large group of 8. Service was quick. Not the best boba or flavors but good options and ambiance. read more

Top Up - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

The food and drinks are okay here, but at least it's affordable for NorCal prices. The popcorn chicken was just alright; I wouldn't order it again. I tried the golden lemonade, and it was on the sweeter side. Maybe I would come back to try different menu items if I were in the area. read more

Top Up - Golden lemonade - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

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Stopped in for a drink and snack. Their wall menu doesn't seem to have all items available compared to the 2 self-ordering kiosks they have at their counter. I recommend you order from there so you can see photos of all the drinks and snacks they make. Drink prices range from $5.75 and up. I tried the sweet potato milk tea drink and added the fried tofu snack. I enjoyed both of them, but realized after I ordered that the drink didn't come with boba. I think toppings are about $0.65 extra. read more

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Ambiance: the boba tea place is located in a plaza not far from the waterfront, shared parking lot and restroom with the rest of merchants Service: very patient and friendly with specific requests Drink: numerous items on the menu with most popular selections Brown Sugar Milk Tea - *** add boba, very light taste Price: each drink costs about $6, convenient contactless payment read more

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I absolutely love Top Up, it's been my go-to boba spot in the bay for the last 6 years. 4 stars Though because they recently revamped their menu and got rid of some beloved drinks like the Mango Tango, Pink Kiss, and Red Velvet, which made me rlly sad. I hope they're able to bring those back!! read more

This place used to be really good but unfortunately when I went today they no longer make the milk teas with non dairy creamer and so I had to switch for oat milk. I couldn't taste the tea flavored and it was very watered down but when I asked to switch it the staff said I would have to buy a new one so I had to throw it away. It's a bit too pricey for drinks that don't taste good so unfortunately won't be coming here anymore even though I used to like it read more

The service is horrible. No one in the place and had to wait over 20 minutes for a boba. When asked oh we have to make it in the back. read more

Top Up - The place had no line. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

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Consistent boba spot that has reasonable prices. Snacks are a must try! Super friendly at staff and good customer service. Food (8/10) - I think the boba here is definitely solid. Not my favorite of all time but overall, I am satisfied when I leave here with a drink. Their fruit teas are a nice balance of sweetness and the whole drink works together nicely. The actual taste of the fruit is pretty prominent and they put actual fruit chunks inside your drink which is very pleasant. The main allure to this spot though is their snacks. I love their snacks, especially the hot fries! It is just a compact burst of flavor (and it definitely does not feel like you're eating a ton of sodium). Something just super flavorful about that powder that they sprinkle on top. Service (9/10) - Service here is great. I actually dropped my drink when leaving :') and they offered to remake it free of charge. That was greatly appreciated! Wait times tend to be a bit on the longer side for drinks though, especially when they're busy. But overall, net positives when you compare these two items. Solid boba spot that I enjoy visiting whenever I'm in the area! read more

I ordered a cocotaro smoothie with boba 25% sweetness and it was the perfect treat on a hot day. The service was quick and friendly. The ambiance is a typical boba shop. Lots of supplies were near the tables but it was still clean. read more

Top Up - Interior - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

I wish I could rate this place zero stars but unfortunately that's not an option. We ordered 2 simple drinks and were waiting 40 minutes to not even get the correct order. I would also like to note I saw a spider crawling on the food counter where they are supposed to put your drinks. Unsanitary and bad service do not recommend! read more

Quali-TEA drinks across the board! My go to is a classic milk tea with lychee fruit bits - which I practically INHALE. I also tried their coconut smoothie and taro milk tea which was also DELICIOUS. It was super creamy and flavorful, especially at the first sip. The place is small but does have seating. It's in a parking lot so it makes going in and out easy. The service was also fast and friendly. Can't wait to visit again! read more

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Top Up is located in the Neptune Plaza Shopping Center. It is a small plaza with shared parking, but there is usually parking here. Not much service - you order on the kiosk in the front and wait for your order to be called. I was visiting my friend nearby and we stopped by here. I ordered the jasmine milk tea with boba, while my friend got the black milk tea with boba. I thought my drink was alright, I felt like it was a bit on the bitter side and it was not cold enough and my friend thought her drink was okay too. read more

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Boba and a few other snacks located at the very end of Webster in Neptune plaza. There's a parking area. Location is convenient. Service is friendly. There's self order screens. But you can also just order with a person in the front. Boba and popcorn chicken are good here. Tip: make sure to add boba if your drink doesn't come with it by default The feel is casual and seems popular with youth read more

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I came back here and ordered the raspberry milk tea, 25% sweetness, no ice which was $5.75 before tip and tax. A lot of the drinks are now $6 or above for the base price. I do appreciate that their menu is still massive. They also now have an electronic kiosk you can order from instead of by talking to a cashier. My drink was done pretty quickly given there were quite a few other customers already. The tea was pretty good though it tasted very similar to raspberry milk tea. It had real raspberries which were acidic compared to the rest of the drink. But the straw wasn't well suited to picking up the raspberries, I tried stabbing them with my straw but they were too soft to really stay intact since I did want to eat them. They do have a bathroom but you have to ask for the key since it is located a few doors down in the same plaza. read more

Top Up - Raspberry milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

Came here on a Saturday and it wasn't too busy. I ordered on the tablet and my drink was prepared fairly quickly so the service is very good. I ordered the King Oolong Cheese Foam drink with 50% sugar. It was good but I like my drinks to have a stronger tea flavor and this just wasn't very strong. The boba was a good, chewy consistency though. They have a few tables for seating and they also have wifi. I found this place decent for studying but the ambiance is probably better for catching up with friends than studying/working. read more

Top Up - Salted Cheese Oolong Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

This place takes so long to make drinks. I finished ordering five drinks at 2:51 and nobody was in the store the while I was ordering and when I left to step outside. I got the text my order was ready at 3:04 then came to the counter and it wasn't ready. I continued to wait and finally received my order at 3:20. There was 3 workers there. And about only 5 orders that came after mine. read more

The drink choices were so good - so many themes (Hawaiian sunset with guava was a good choice), and a variety of drinks (vietnamese coffee, lemonade, slushies, etc). The only thing that threw me off is that some of these drinks come with their own toppings... so if you order 1 topping, it will look like a lot of space in that cup. As always, I love the fact that we can choose sweet levels and ice levels. Cheers read more

Top Up - Lemonade with extra matcha boba ($0.90 add) - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

[IN A NUTSHELL] good boba, fruit teas crunchy popcorn chicken [VERDICT] - APPROVED [RUN-DOWN] This is a great place if you're ever in need for some fruit teas and boba. The boba is not too expensive (nowadays) and the drink that I had was super good. This is a small place and there is a self ordering machine or the in person one which I like. There is also a place for pictures if that is something you like to do. [SCORE & ORDER] OVERALL: 3.83/5 * Honeydew Milk Tea $5.75 (4/5) - FREE toppings when you check in on Yelp -I am a sucker for all things honeydew so this drink was really good to me. I got less sweet because I know most of the time it's syrups but this honeydew milk tea was not too sweet with getting less sugar. It also had a mildly strong tea taste which most fruit teas dont have and I appreciate that. Also, the boba portion of the drink was good, not only was it the right squishiness but it wasnt hard and not too sweet. * Uni Matcha Latte $6.25 (4/5) -I would recommend getting this drink. The matcha was just the right amount. I do recommend stirring it a lot because this drink comes with lychee jellying the syrup form that makes it super sweet if not mixed. Overall a good drink that I would recommend. * Popcorn Chicken $6.95 (3.5/5) -OOO this popcorn chicken was super juicy and crunchy. What I dont like about it is the portion for the price you pay for it, but nowadays this is just the case. What is unique about this is that you can customize the spice. I also recommend dipping it in the sweet chili sauce. [SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE] (not reflected upon review score): This is a small place where there are a bunch of other stores nearby. The service was ok but I think it's because the cashier was new the questions I asked she was unsure. Atmosphere is nice. They have indoor and outdoor seating and parking was not a problem. [TIME STAMP] january 2023 read more

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Meh Brown sugar milk tea 4/10 75% sugar (no option to change that), less ice - no brown sugar flavor whatsoever - leaves a weird bitter after taste like burnt tea but the tea flavor is strong - the sugar, milk, and tea for some reason don't mix very well together....I can't seem to put a finger on it. Kawaii 3/10 100% sugar, less ice - not a fan of popping boba but I regret to say that was the best part of this drink - pretty drink but lack in tea flavor - literally is just syrup water :( can't even tell there's dragon fruit juice in the drink - sweetness is fine but if you're a tea lover--this is not it You order from the kiosk thing in front of the door and then pick up your order when they call the order number. There's a free topping when you check in on Yelp. Some drinks already come with toppings--just read the descriptions on the kiosk. There's many fruit tea options and that's really unique. Overall, I won't be returning. The drinks were lackluster and there's many more boba places in Alameda that hit the tea notes. This is definitely more geared towards children or more western palates. read more

Top Up - two cold drinks in plastic cups - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

Tea w 25% sugar and oat milk was made with less sugar, unlike a lot of tea places that don't really make it 25% sweetness. Ordered the popcorn chicken with less pepper and salt also and it came out piping hot with less salt and pepper. Delicious. My jasmine green milk tea is very good also. Will be back. Thank you! read more

Top Up - Jasmine Green Milk Tea & Popcorn Chicken - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

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Positives: * good selection of flavorful tea options * love the smoothies * everything is made fresh to order * easy parking * lots of fried food snacks to choose from Negatives: * price is high (2 drinks and 2 snacks was $35 with tax+tip) * service is slow when they get busy * the popcorn chicken tasted like fish (use the same oil?) read more

I got the cocotaro and it was very good! Would get again! The employees were sweet and patient as my family had a big order. There are no public bathrooms I believe and there's some tables. The type of place to just get your drink and go :) read more

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It was a quick grab n go. The taste of the tea is worth a mention (i ordered mango tango) and it is worth a try! The drawings on the wall add a comfortable feeling, i have a soft spit for placing that include customer interaction. read more

Top Up - Mango Tango Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

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Top Up changed ownership a couple of years ago and it was a step down for sure, but it's right next to my apartment so it's my go to place. It's in a small plaza and I walk my dog past their door every night and go in really often. They close at 7:50 and I understand that they want to walk out at 8:00, I really do. I've worked at my share of small food service businesses. I get it. Last night at 7:52 they had the door wide open and the open sign on and fully lit. Only me. One drink. No dice. Disappointed read more

Top up is a small boba shop located in a tiny mall strip. I'm a big fan of their fruit teas and the milk icys. Milk icys can't be ordered through any food delivery services so you will need to come to the boba shop in person to get to try them. My favorite flavor is mango but they also have strawberry and chocolate. They are a layered drink (from bottom to top): boba, pudding, mango, milk icy/milk slush, mango on top. The employees are really nice and there were so many of them working on a Saturday afternoon. We were able to get our drinks super fast and they taste amazing! This was the first place that I used a check in offer for a free topping and it was so easy to claim. You will have to go to the cashier to claim the offer but they are really nice and they know how to apply it to your order! read more

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Tea is great, service not so much and food items take forever. It also has a weird smell.

I came after recalling that my cousin has previously purchased half a gallon from here about a year ago, and this is the only spot in Alameda that I know of so far that sells milk tea in a gallon/half gallon. My family had a small 10 person party and I did not know if they still sell a gallon/half gallon. I called twice but nobody picked up. When I got to the store to order, I was told that they would not have enough boba for the customers after me or something like that (so they'd have to boil the boba for the next customers quick). I honestly think they could have solved this issue if they picked up the phone so they knew I would be purchasing a gallon order with boba. So, the gallon was $39 and the boba was $7 (from what I remember). When I got the gallon bag and boba, the staff handing it to me did not offer any straws or cups until I asked. She then told me that if I needed more than 10 cups, there was a charge for more cups (I think she said 50 cents or something). I just found it odd they did not offer me the cups, lid, and straw until I asked but maybe she forgot. If I did not remember to ask, my family would have a hard time drinking the boba lol. Other than this, I think the staff was nice since one of them made sure to tell me that the boba isn't good after a day, and the milk tea is good for only 2-3 days in the fridge. The gallon can fill about 6 cups if you filled them fully with milk tea and a scoop of boba. I had to pour some cups 50-80% full as the party kept going at my home. We did not have enough boba and only 6-7 of us had some boba in our drinks. I do wonder if they gave me enough boba and I think maybe they just gave me however much was left in their batch? For $7 of boba, it didn't seem that much to be honest. However, I did like the texture of their boba. It was very good. They put the boba in the boba water when they gave me my order so I think that helped the texture of the boba stay good as I served drinks throughout the party. We got 0% sugar for the oolong milk tea and it was good. All in all, I would come again for a gallon order (but I may buy an extra gallon next time). I think for a party it was worth it so that we can just have boba and chill without carrying ten drinks home. I do hope next time I get more boba than this time (unless that's the usual amount... I may need to order more boba). read more

Top Up - Roasted Oolong Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alameda, California

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