Twinkle

Hands down the best hot black sesame soup in Houston--piping hot, rich, and deeply toasted with an…read moreauthentic depth most local spots lack. For something cold, the Mixed Fruit Shaved Ice with Flan is a total must-order. Milky sweet ice combined with fresh fruit, and a rich flan to top it off. Highly recommend H-Town Cantonese dessert spot!

Food: 4.5/5 Service: 4/5…read moreAmbiance: 2/5 Overall: 4.2 My group got the fresh fruit shaved ice with strawberry ice cream and coconut pudding. The shaved ice itself was really nice and fluffy, with the condensed milk topping being VERY sweet yet not overpowering. The fruit toppings we got, for the most part, were good. The pineapple and cantaloupe were both okay, though I think they both could've been fresher, but the strawberry and mango were both really good and complemented the shaved ice. I also really enjoyed the strawberry ice cream on top. I was a bit skeptical at first, but it added another dimension to the dish. The coconut pudding, though, was quite disappointing, not tasting like much and overall just feeling like a random and unnecessary addition to the otherwise really good dessert. The ambiance here was the main issue. It is a little bit barebones and not very decorated, but that didn't bother me. What did though was the piercing high pitched noise of the electronics, which made it really hard for me to focus, and the flashing lights, which just made me feel really disoriented. Still, this place is a hidden gem in the Dun Huang Plaza compared to everything else around it, and is definitely worth a try!

K1 Large mango coconut milk sago with mango ice cream 杨枝甘露加芒果冰淇淋

See all

Mixed fruit shaved ice with flan and mochi balls

Mtea Reserve

4.2(20 reviews)

1.4 mi•Chinatown, Alief

Everything was so DELICIOUS and AMAZING! I ordered the green milk tea and it tasted great. The…read moredecoration is beautiful and the whole place feels perfect. Definitely a nice spot to hang out with friends.

Cute place! 2nd time here! Today Only - BOGO Soursop Smoothie & Avocado/Soursop Smoothie!!…read more The Avocado & Soursop Smoothie is sooo good!! Decided to also try their 3 different Banh Mi Que!! My favorite was the Banh Mi Que Thit Xiu!

0.3 mi•Chinatown, Sharpstown

Pandan coconut bubble waffle

Nice corner. My favorite corner, actually. I like the way the bench is curvy and hugging the wall.

See all

A bowl Of Life

4.2(9 reviews)

Tried the green detox and it tasted great! Great mix of fruit and greens so it wasn't unpleasant to…read moredrink like most green juices. Highly recommend!

It's at a house location so try to call before driving, or consider the delivery. For $12 the…read more"bowl" is a little layer of açaí juice or dragonfruit and a lot of toppings that melted by the time I got home 1.5 mile away

See all

Main Squeeze Juice Co.

4.4(121 reviews)

11.0 mi

Juice and samples were fresh and delicious. The worker with the blue hair was very professional…read moreand courteous!

I had never heard of Main Squeeze Juice Co until last week. After that, I went two days in a row…read moreand am looking forward to going back again. The staff is really nice. As someone with Celiac Disease, I love how they offer gluten free options for their food. (Their food is also vegan.) I always go for the breakfast sandwich with smashed avocado and chili sauce. It is so good! Their smoothies are really good too, and I love the way you can customize them. Main Squeeze is a bit pricey, but it is really good. The store has always been clean and well looked after each time I go in there. It's got a nice vibe. Can't wait to go back again soon!

Inside

See all

Green bowl Acaí Bowl

JuiceLand

4.2(43 reviews)

4.6 mi

I've been coming to JuiceLand regularly, and it's honestly one of the most consistently great…read morecustomer experiences I have anywhere. Abra, Lex, RJ, and the rest of the team are incredible. They're always fast, genuinely friendly, and you can tell they truly care--not just about the customers, but about each other as well. Consistency is hard, but this team nails it every single visit. If there were a James Beard Award for hospitality and consistency, they'd deserve it. The best part? Stopping by JuiceLand has become one of the highlights of my day. Great people, great service, and of course, great smoothies and juices. Thanks to Abra, Lex, RJ, and everyone else on the team for making every visit such a positive experience.

Want a smoothie or an açaí bowl? Check out JuiceLand…read more Easy to order an açaí bowl. Check out their daily smoothie specials. Parking is challenging if it is after school. Check out their rewards program.

See all

The Bep Teahouse

4.1(403 reviews)

1.4 mi•Chinatown, Alief

I think this might be my second fav tea shop so far. I really love all of the varieties of drinks…read moreand especially the teas. What stands out about their teas is that they use real pieces of fruits in the tea and it makes it taste refreshing. They also have unique flavors like the magical lychee tea. The jellies that use also had good texture and flavor to them. The inside is very decorated to give you a nice cool trendy up to date vibe but also giving you an Asian inspired elements. The service was good too I have no complaints about that.

This is absolutely ridiculous! Out of the four drinks I purchased, two of them were filled with an…read morecompletely unreasonable amount of ice--approximately 60% ice in one cup and an astonishing 90% ice in the other. The employee's attitude and customer service were even more unacceptable. I purchased four drinks from this store at the same time. I specifically ordered all four drinks with less sugar and regular ice. However, out of the four drinks, two of them had an absurdly excessive amount of ice. One cup was approximately 60% ice, while the other was even worse, with approximately 90% of the cup filled with ice. I understand that I ordered regular ice, but does that really mean an employee can fill almost the entire cup with ice and leave only a tiny amount of actual drink? Regular ice and an excessive amount of ice are two completely different things. What made me even more angry was the employee's attitude. When I questioned the drink that was approximately 90% ice, the employee did not acknowledge the problem or attempt to resolve it. Instead, the employee argued with me and insisted that I was the one who was wrong. Even more absurdly, the employee told me that if I wanted the excessive amount of ice removed, I would have to pay extra! Are you serious? I ordered a drink with regular ice--not a drink that was 90% ice! Why should I have to pay an additional fee just to have an unreasonable amount of ice removed from a drink that I have already paid for? You are running a beverage shop, not an ice shop! I paid for four drinks, not four cups of ice. Even though I clearly requested regular ice, two out of the four drinks were filled with an unreasonable and ridiculous amount of ice. One cup being approximately 60% ice is already unacceptable, but having another cup that is approximately 90% ice is simply outrageous. The worst part of this experience was not just the excessive amount of ice. It was the fact that the employee refused to handle a reasonable customer complaint appropriately and instead chose to argue with me, making me feel as though I had somehow done something wrong. Customers should not have to argue with employees over something as basic as receiving a reasonable amount of actual beverage in a cup. If a beverage shop cannot even provide a reasonable proportion of the product that customers are paying for, then why should customers be expected to return? This experience was extremely disappointing. I was disappointed not only by the ridiculous amount of ice, but also by the employee's unwillingness to listen to a reasonable concern and the unacceptable attitude toward a paying customer. I came here to buy drinks, not to pay for cups of ice! I will seriously reconsider whether I ever want to visit this store again. Management should take this matter seriously and review both the way drinks are being prepared and the way employees are trained to handle customer concerns. Finally, I ended up returning the drink that was approximately 90% ice. What made the situation even more disturbing was that the employee did not throw the returned drink away. Instead, they put it back into the refrigerator/freezer to be sold to another customer later. That is completely unacceptable and raises serious concerns about how returned beverages are being handled and resold.

Dragonfruit Tea (made with real dragonfruit, no syrup!)

Korean Strawberry Fresh Milk

See all

Tropical Fruit

4.3(9 reviews)

1.7 mi•Sharpstown

Fresh juice was good. But this time i got a fruit cup and it sucked. Fruit was not ripe at all i…read moregot mango, watermelon, papaya and jicama

The fruit is fresh and the prices are amazing! Highly recommend you to stop by and enjoy their…read moredelicious smoothies. They are open for off the menu requests of fruit mixtures. Underrated spot to check out when in the area!

Fresh fruit

See all

Earthcraft Juicery

4.4(312 reviews)

6.2 mi•Highland Village

Healthy dining

Vegetarian friendly

Solid smoothie. I got the Lone Star in small and it was $6.77. I'd say the small size is probably…read morearound 12 oz (kind of reminded me of a Starbucks tall). Smallish interior, just a few tables and some seating options. Parking lot was pretty crowded around 2pm on a Thursday.

it was really cute inside. great decor and the natural plants also made for a good background. the…read moremenu was great. the service was patient as i figured out what to order and helpful with my questions. the smoothie itself was really thick and not to my consistency preference. the taste was okay.

Earthcraft Juicery's Rainbow Avocado Toast

Sams all smiles with his bowl!

See all

Pitaya Bowl!

Mama Mía

4.6(282 reviews)

1.6 mi•Alief

So I haven't tried their drinks yet, but I had to leave a review for their pandan coconut waffles…read more I'm obsessed with anything pandan, so when I found out they had them, I had to stop by. This is my third time now, and they've been amazing every time. The waffle is like a perfect mix between a pancake and a waffle. Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. It's made fresh and served warm, and the flavor is spot on. It's slightly sweet with that rich coconut and pandan taste that just works. They also have other flavors like durian and taro if you're into trying something different. I'll definitely be back to try the drinks, but honestly, these waffles alone are worth the trip.

**For those looking for the Bellaire location of Mama Mia, they are not closed but actually moved…read moreto another shopping center down the street on Wilcrest & Bellaire and rebranded to Mama Mia Fusion. It is a bit hidden, but they are now located in the same shopping center as Banh Mi Thim Hing if you are trying to find them. The included store photos are from their new location** I don't go to Mama Mia for their drinks, but after all these years, Mama Mia is still my favorite in Houston for Vietnamese Coconut Waffles. This updated review is strictly for their waffles. Their waffles are always so thick, fluffy, nicely chewy on the inside, and crispy on the outside. Whatever flavor you choose, you won't be disappointed. My absolute favorite is the original Pandan Coconut flavor, but the Taro flavor and the Durian flavor are just as delicious. You can also get the Multi waffle which has all 3 flavors in one. They are super flavorful, not too sweet, and perfectly textured. You won't be disappointed with their waffles.

Passionfruit Mia

Ginger Lime Mia

See all

Pennywort Mia

Dandelion Cafe - Bellaire

4.3(943 reviews)

4.2 mi

The Ice Coffee is so good! I had the ice Coffee with oat milk and the vanilla syrup…read more They make the oat milk in house and all their syrups. Plus this is a Big Plus they put coffee cubes, so the ice is made of coffee which makes so much sense so when it melts it's not watery. What a brilliant idea! Service is always good very friendly. And the atmosphere is so cozy. I love this place

All was great! I return back here for HTX restaurant week in Feb. it was my first time seeing the…read moreFebruary htx week. My son and I stop by for a breakfast/brunch which is served the duration of the hours of operation. Customer service was friendly. Food was fulfilling. We both ordered a waffle as a the first course. And second course I order the avocado toast came with an egg. And my son ordered his fav breakfast item, which are breakfast tacos. Water is self served. I really like the large windows with all of the natural lighting. We were the last customers of the day was service was still very friendly.

Love In The City Of Lights S.

Strawberry & Cream French Toast

See all

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

20 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Lily T.

12 years ago

Twinkle is the only boba tea shop where you can DIY your toppings here in Houston. There is a variety of different jellies, pudding, fresh fruits and popping boba. It's really cool that they do not charge you extra for the topping, plus this place is fairly cheap compared to other tea houses, and some of the drinks here are different than other places. My favorite is the rose green tea, and lavender milk tea. I also like their mini octopus and takoyaki. The environment and the staff are pretty friendly. The drinks and snacks get to you pretty fast. Overall, I would say this is the best place to bring your friends and try out something new. :) read more

Lily D.

1 year ago

Twinkle is a refreshing and budget-friendly boba shop that offers two drink sizes at affordable prices. One standout thing I like about this place is their unlimited topping bar, While the boba itself isn't the best compared to other places, I think it's still enjoyable. My go to drink is the honeydew milk tea with 30% sugar. It's still quite sweet for my taste, so I usually request extra ice to help diluteit out. In addition to drinks, Twinkle also offers a solid food menu. I particularly enjoy their curly fries and popcorn chicken. I also appreciate that they leave spices and seasonings out for customers to adjust to their liking. read more

Christi W.

15 years ago

Eww...definitely not my cup of tea! If I could I would give just half a star for creativity but that's all. The milk tea was mediocre and sadly tasted artificial. The fried chicken made me nauseous and tasted weird. My friend doesn't feel well after eating their chicken and looks paler than Edward from Twilight. I rather go back to Star Snow. The service was poor and drinks were unappealing. I wouldn't go back even if it was free. Good concept but poor implementation. Houston has better tapioca stores, Twinkle just isn't one of them. read more

Yvonne H.

11 years ago

This tapioca store is a hidden gem! Been going here since my high school days when they still had the smaller sized cup. I love how the customers are able to put their own sinkers in as its a little twist to the usual routine when I go to tap stores. Especially since some stores are so stingy with them! I have also encountered the owner a few time and she's extremely kind and always offer me samples of their drinks. Btw, theres a student discount (LOL college kids count too), that gets you a drink and popcorn chicken for $.99. read more

Lisa S.

12 years ago

Twinkle is the first tea shop I went to when I just arrived at Houston. And it attracts my eyes, it has many different kinds of toppings, it is self-serve. U can choose any topping you want. And twinkle's tapioca milk tea is the best milk tea I have tried and I like the fried taro . It is delicious!!! I think the only problem for twinkle is that the area is too small. And people cannot study in there. But twinkle is a best place to buy drinks if you stop by and then leave.. read more

Jenny M.

12 years ago

14 years ago

I don't recommend go here the owner being very judge on what your order if you order a lot they will give your drink first. If not good luck with the wait, we order squid and fish ball . I been waiting more than 15 minutes it's not ready yet instead customer in front order tons of drink she give her my fish ball. We well known customer who always come here . I'd not advise anyone came here the drink not very impress at all so unprofessional and rude . read more

Xiaoying S.

8 years ago

Great boba place, the most interesting part is you can fill your own toppings with free!! their teaspresso is so good, use fresh tea leaves, the one I like most and also their most popular milk tea is called hojicha milk tea. And they also have fresh orange tea (without fruit)/ or orange fruit tea(with fruits), the orange juice is fresh made, and tastes so awesome! read more

Brent B.

12 years ago

Amazing low prices coupled with great service. An added plus is to scoop your own sinkers. There are other places that have better tea in the sense that it's stronger, but the price here is unbeatable. Tea with sinkers start at 2.15, snacks are 3.25, smoothies start at 2.99, and shaved ice with cream is 4.99 as of 11-15-14. read more

Sufen S.

12 years ago

Twinkle This place has base milk and base popcorn chicken , and you can pick you topping by your self as much you want ,only 1.99 . Now they also has the new size 33 oz only 0.59 cents more ! Very good and very cute cup ! read more

Andrew L.

13 years ago

Their snack is out of this world good. I order their snack for them every morning, but their drink is little sweeter than normal. I won't order their drink but their snack is pretty good read more

Pilar G.

377

12 years ago

This place is awesome, my favorite tapioca place:) i would recommend it to everyone. They have awesome snacks as well read more

Michael L.

188

9 years ago

A+ . Great service and friendly staff. Love how you can add all the topping you want before they fill your cup.

Liza M.

12 years ago

Great donut shop donuts are fresh but sometimes the lines are way to long

Richard T.

552

12 years ago

cute place. Reminds me of a small little cafe in Chinatown NYC.

Tracy N.

207

9 years ago

Best place to get a drink! I love the self serve sinker

Amy N.

135

245

8 years ago

i like oreo shake is the best drink and pick my tiping

Jason Z.

12 years ago

Cheap, good, what else to say?

Hao X.

15 years ago

it s not good

Rebecca Shek S.

11 years ago

great price

Twinkle - juicebars - Updated October 2026

Browse Nearby

BEST of Houston, Texas Coffee near Twinkle

BEST of Houston, Texas Restaurants near Twinkle

BEST of Houston, Texas Desserts near Twinkle

BEST of Houston, Texas Boba near Twinkle

BEST of Houston, Texas Things to Do near Twinkle

BEST of Houston, Texas Breakfast near Twinkle

BEST of Houston, Texas Parking near Twinkle

BEST of Houston, Texas Acai Bowls near Twinkle

BEST of Houston, Texas Shopping near Twinkle

BEST of Houston, Texas Thrift Stores near Twinkle

Best of Houston

Things to do in Houston

Browse Brands

Brands by name

Browse Articles

Articles by date

People who viewed Twinkle also viewed

Kravin' Fruit Bar

4.2

(280 reviews)

Been going here for years. Their smoothies are blended with ice cream which makes it stand out…read morecompared to most smoothies shop that use just syrup and creamer. Huge selections of drinks that cater to all different pallets. Highly recommend this boba shop.

I've been going to Kravin' for as long as I can remember, from the location in Chinatown to Katy…read more(before they closed) to Richmond. Today's the 1st time I felt compelled to express disappointment with my order -- the Smash Avocado. As you can see from the menu, the cup is tall and filled at least 75% full even without jellies. I ordered one without jellies. I was given this small cup filled no more than 1/2 full with avocado and the rest (50% or more) was just crushed ice. The picture shows the drink as made before any eating/stirring. Even without the jellies, honestly it was way too empty/little. I swing by Kravin' (Richmond) at least 3-4x a month and the employees are always sweet; the drinks are great. I think they even know my face by now 'cause sometimes I just pull up and I'm asked, "Same thing?" Obviously I like Kravin' a lot, but I was honestly disappointed by today's visit at Chinatown.

Tapioca House

3.8

(385 reviews)

I always love a good boba, especially when it's a bit too late to be wanting caffeine haha. I liked…read morethe overall vibe of this shop. The staff were friendly and there was plenty of cozy seating. The show was very upbeat and was full of people. We easily found an area that was not only spacious, but also was a good blend of privacy and being around others. I had the coffee milk tea and it was really good. The balance of the sweetness and the strong coffee was well done. I also had the fried mushroom appetizers and they were surprisingly delicious and filling. We were there till closing, but the staff never rushed us or told us to leave. Overall, it was a great place to stop by for a quick bubble tea and snack. Would absolutely go back to try their other several flavors of milk tea!

I forgot my lunch at home so my friend suggested we need to come here to grab a meal and get some…read moredrinks. I got the braised pork combo meal with honey milk tea with alloy and a regular honey milk tea for my friend. It was about 13 bucks or so for just the combo meal. It was filling and love the pork, but I felt like the rice was a little overcooked, and the green beans were definitely overcooked. Staff were quick and straight to the point. I got my me in and out in about 10 minutes. The place was cleaned and neat and open space. There's free parking at the front.

Tea Villa

4.7

(45 reviews)

Super cute restaurant on the outskirts of Chinatown. Has a drive through window on the side of the…read morebuilding and a comfortable space to study or play games. Got the peach green tea which was super delicious. Great peach flavor. My friend got the brown sugar boba milk tea, which was nice and rich. It's a pretty small and quiet place, not too busy. Service was quick. Definitely need to come back to try their other drinks!

Super nice great atmosphere love the food , service was great…read more If I could come here everyday I would lol

Boba Island

3.7

(115 reviews)

Grest drinks and service with 11pm late night drive thru much needed after dinner treat with the…read morewife. This is our go to spot everytime we are in town and need a refreshing drink.

My friends and I just stopped by this Boba Island for a quick refreshing drink. The cashier was…read morerecommending us to try out their Herbal drink with boba, because it is a new popular drink at this store. We liked it so much because the herbal drink isn't too sweet. I will definitely buy it again. It is a tiny refreshing drink store that has a variety of milk tea drinks, coffee, and other snacks.

Creamery Teahouse

4.1

(12 reviews)

Food - 10/10 I got the Spicy popcorn chicken. Super juicy, flavorful. Definitely has a kick which…read moreis what I was going for. Sugarcane juice - 10/10 Nice and sweet. But also refreshing. It goes really well with the chicken. Service - 10/10 My drink was made immediately and I only waited about 5mins for the chicken. Ambiance - 8/10 It's in the food court area of the Hong Kong Market so it's on the loud side but that's ok. It's easy to find too. I'm coming back! Thanks Lily!

This is a great spot to grab some boba and chill. It's located inside the Hong Kong mall and you…read morecan get some fresh fruit juices or tea drinks. I got their sugarcane juice with kumquat and they squeeze it fresh right in front of you. So refreshing and 10/10 would recommend if you're in the area. I would also highly recommend their pandan artichoke and jasmine green tea with boba.

Möge Tee Houston

3.8

(87 reviews)

Located inside of Hong Kong City Mall 4, a great place to grab boba and hangout. You can order at…read morethe kiosk or on the front. Drinks are a bit pricy for small cups but overall worth a try. Jasmine tea with milk foam: 4/5 wish they gave brown sugar boba instead Brown sugar boba milk: 5/5 boba was very chewy

Came here for the first time. My wife normally buys drinks from this place, but I was on this side…read moreof town so I decided to pick some up. We ordered the Brown Sugar Milk Tea and the Creme Brûlée Milk Tea. Both are very delicious, but you feel more unhealthier when you smash a whole large sized Creme Brûlée vs the traditional Brown Sugar lol. The staff is friendly and fast. They have a few monitors for you to order your drink instead of walking up and just ordering at the cashier. I'm not used to ordering like this so it took some time especially when the menu has a bazillion items. Lots of parking and a good amount of tables and chairs to chill at.

Bobo Tea

4.4

(114 reviews)

amazing customer service, cheap boba drinks and a really unique aesthetic. the shop also provides…read moregames that keep me occupied when waiting for my drinks, and cheap vending machines which rewarded me with a chicken plushie!

Late night had a craving for some boba so we decided to go to a new local place. I ordered a…read morehoneydew milk tea and my SO ordered the Vietnamese tea. If you want a very fruit forward honeydew then this is the place to get it! I don't say this as a negative, but essentially the best way to put it is as if this place blended some honeydew straight into my drink and others use artifical flavoring lol. I loved it. My fiance loved his drink as well and I thought it was fantastic too. We plan on going back to try more stuff. Oh and this place has a cute claw machine.

Tea Top

4.2

(322 reviews)

There are so many boba places along Bellaire and I personally recognize how expensive of a habit…read morethese sugary drinks can be, so I generally avoid going. But when I'm in town I go out of my way to "eat all the things" to take advantage of being near the Vietnamese community. I decided on trying Tea Top over other -- seemingly indistinguishable boba shops -- simply because this shop participates in the Dining Rewards Program, which allows me to earn airline miles per dollar in addition to my standard credit card points per dollar. I will say, the tea here is very good. They actually sell tea, rather than just sugar water. You can taste it. And for that, I appreciate this place. I tried their Alpine Green Tea with boba. It was good. I came back a second time to try their Wintermelon Alpine Green Milk Tea and thought it was even better! Quality drinks and I can earn additional airline miles per order? I'll be coming back. I also like that their in-store rewards program keys to your credit card so it recognizes your account and you can instantly apply small discounts to future orders every time, or save up your points to get a buck or two off an order when you feel like it.

My friend said this was his favorite boba place in Chinatown and it did not disappoint…read more Taro milk tea usually sucks with these giant taro chunks, but Tea Top's taro drink was well integrated into the milk tea and went down smooth! Good attention to detail and good drinks.

Chow Tea

4.1

(50 reviews)

Small family business. Hard to compete with all the surrounding popular boba chains, but their…read moredrinks and small eats were good! It's pretty claustrophobic inside, but I guess with the little foot traffic they have, it's fine. I came on a Saturday afternoon and it was just me. I had the orange peach tea and the orange juice was definitely freshly squeezed. The recipe includes lemongrass, but it's not strong at all. Just for taste! I got the popcorn chicken and they make it on the spot, so it took a while for them to make it. However, I live about 50 min away and it was still hot when I got home. Knowing that, I'm sure the chicken fresh off the fryer would be extremely hot. 10/10 Something unique about this store is that if you pay by Zelle, you get I think a 10% discount.

I've driven by this place a few times and was curious how the boba was- so one day while in…read moreChinatown my husband and I decided to stop by after lunch. The shop is fairly small and quaint with the super cute painting of the chow chow pups on the wall! When we came in- they had menus on the TV and on the counter in front of us. My husband ordered the Oolong Milk Tea with Oolong boba and I ordered the Jasmine milk Tea with regular boba and a sea salt cream topping. Both were very delicious and I enjoyed the tea base! I would definitely come back for more boba. The space is fairly tight so I wouldn't go with large groups- this is more of a place to grab and go but their food seemed like it would be good. Something to try again next time!

Xing Fu Tang

3.3

(311 reviews)