Yes sometimes there's a crowd but it ebbs and flows. I'm glad that they staff accordingly compared…read moreto some other of my fav tea places "hey" I'm thinking about you. Nothing in particular except the jasmine tea tastes the same in this location as the one near me in a totally different city and state. That's all we want, right?

I saw Molly Tea all over Instagram and TikTok, so I made sure to stop in during my recent trip to…read moreChinatown. When I arrived, the whole place was empty, but it did fill up with a crowd shortly after I got there. They have self-serve kiosks, so it was really easy to order. My tea was ready for pickup quickly. All of the employees were very courteous. I ordered the gardenia tea with half sweetness. I thought it was nice, but I do wish the floral flavor was just a little stronger. The cups, along with the entire shop, are aesthetically pleasing. I'd come back here for sure the next time I'm in Chinatown.

We stopped in here after visiting the gachapon arcade upstairs and immediately noticed how clean…read moreeverything was. The whole shop is really cute, too. They have plushies sitting on the couch in the waiting area and a little floral Instagram wall that's clearly meant for photos. We also very much appreciated that they have a bathroom, which isn't always guaranteed in Chinatown spots. I got the large Fruity Party drink and loved it. It had slices of citrus floating in it plus a rainbow of fruit jellies at the bottom. It was both super refreshing and really pretty. I'd absolutely order it again. My sister got the medium kumquat lemon seasons tea. It was super strong and concentrated, which is just the way I like my tea. I learned that I liked kumquat kumquat so that's a fun bonus. We'll definitely be back next time we are in Chinatown.

DaBoba? More like DaCustard!…read more Wanting a little sweet treat, I stopped into Daboba for a Roasted Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea. I initially attempted to order at the kiosk, only to discover doing so comes with a 3% fee vs. ordering with a human. It's not about the nickels, it's the principle of the thing! I instead placed my order with the clerk - less ice, less sweet. Though it wasn't very busy at the time, the drink came out relatively fast. The service overall was friendly, too! Now, about this beverage... if I'd asked for a "surprise me," I'd be happier. This is because on its own, it was respectable and unique in its custard-like consistency. However, given that I'd ordered a milk tea, where neither the appropriate consistency nor tea notes made an appearance, my happiness and satisfaction levels go down. To give some credit, the beverage I received wasn't too sweet, and had a slight velvety mouthfeel. It was unique and interesting, unlike anything I had ever had before. Final verdict: there is no shortage of boba tea shops around, especially in Chinatown. If you're going to do something different, power to you. However, don't say you sell one thing, and sell another.

Pink paradise! Cute boba shop in the heart of Chinatown. I liked that they use REAL FRUIT in their…read moredrinks and not syrups. Since I was visiting I also got the cute bunny ears topper that had a little extra Jebbit that said Chicago on there. Perfect fun little souvenir for my trip. My drink was over $12 but that's because I got the surprise plushie in my cup as well as the bunny ears. #yolo It was still worth it! :)

We shared the watermelon tea and it was super refreshing and not too sweet…read more Also love that they have a mini bean!

The hype is real! Came here to treat myself to a tea tasting and highly recommend the experience if…read moreyou are curious to learn about tea facts/ history, like trying different high quality tea variations, or just want an excuse to feel cool while sitting in a cute tea shop:) Thoroughly enjoyed talking to the barista about the different tea variations I tried during the tasting; he was super knowledgeable and very friendly in answering all my questions. Loved getting to know more about tea accessories used during the tasting as well.

I think I need to come and do a tea set here for it to actually make sense. My friend and I came…read morehere to catch up and we got the oolong iced tea and the matcha latte. Both were ok. Couldn't really taste much of the oolong tea. They have a self-serve kiosk which we used. The ambiance is pretty nice and minimal and also very quiet. Loud conversations aren't recommended unless you'd also like the whole place to listen. This is definitely a spot for actual tea service vs a sweet and fun drink. I need to come back for that purpose to really get a full vibe. A wfh/study session would be great here though!

While waiting in the stores to open yesterday I saw this and had to wait for them to open too!…read more Love these donuts and I've been missing them since we moved from Louisiana. Friendly staff, nice sitting area, and delicious mochi donuts! Next time I'll try a boba tea because they looked so yummy.

Located on the 4th floor of a mall in the small food court, Te'Amo seem barely staffed and raggedly…read moremanaged when I swung by. The tea came out quick but didn't stand out in any particular way. Enough to scratch an itch but overall not very convenient to get to, and a bit of a drab spot.

Way too sweet and not customizable. Since there's plenty of empty slots, it'd be great if they can…read moreput in some options like "less sweet, half sweet, less sweet no boba, half sweet no boba, etc"

Honestly wayy better than I expected. We need more of these places and learn from Asia!! It was…read morebetter than some of the boba stores I visited on my trip. No boba, but jellies and it's basically a giant refrigerator. Great service and chill price

At the Taiwanese, I was very excited to try this restaurant since there aren't many Taiwanese…read moreplaces in Chicago. Taipei Cafe is a small restaurant in Lakeview. There aren't many seats available so it feels like a semi boba shop as well. To sum it up, I would say it is ~70 to 80% authentic, which is not bad in my opinion. Braised Pork Over Rice 招牌滷肉飯: The presentation was beautiful and the flavor was actually pretty good. In Taiwan, this dish is usually more on the sweeter side, due to the sugar and shallots added. Here, it is more peppery and savory, and the flavor was actually really good. The beans and the mustard greens were very delicious as well. Even though the flavor profile is slightly different, this was well made and something I would come back for. Noodles with black pepper sauce 胡椒鐵板麵: traditionally this dish is called蘑菇鐵板麵, which uses mushrooms, black pepper and other sauces as a base. The flavor was good, but I wish that there were more mushroom and sauce to balance the black pepper. In my opinion, this dish tasted very different from what I used to eat, but it is not bad on its own. 2/4 Fried pork chops: the meat was fried very well, and it was pretty peppery and crispy. However, I think there are different spices and flavor missing, including white pepper, msg, garlic, Thai basil, cayenne pepper, and more. I wished that the savoriness and spiciness popped up more, and I thought the spice blend and the marinade could definitely use some improvement. 3/4 Beef noodle soup 牛肉麵: I thought the bone broth was pretty good, but I believe the flavor profile should be wider, like tomatoes, five spice, 豆瓣醬, soy sauce, and more. It was a stripped down version, and I wished that is reflected in the name of the item (renaming it "clear soup" etc). Also, the amount of meat they gave us was a little bit pitiful (there were like four pieces), and there were two pieces of bok choy. When Taiwanese people eat beef noodle soup, we definitely expect more. 2/4 Additionally, I wish the drinks were made with some fresh ingredients (not just syrup or creamer), as standard/good quality boba shops from Taiwan try to make drinks as fresh as possible. That is high ask, but I just wanted to note that as a suggestion for improvement. Overall, I thought the food was pretty decent. Would I say it is the most representative Taiwanese restaurant in Chicago? No. The staff was actually Chinese loll. But I do think it reminds me of some flavors and food I grew up eating in Taiwan. If you like popcorn chicken and pork, it is likely a good place for you.

Solid, tasty taiwanese food!…read more We enjoyed a mix of dishes (chicken bento box for me, beef noodle soup for my boyfriend, as well as fries with Thai seasoning and a boba tea for me). The green beans came as a side with my bento box and were amazing. The ordering system is a little clunky and annoying but we got through it. Vibes in the space are fine, it's an efficient little cafe The biggest thing is that there's really an opportunity for more sauces! For the fries, for the popcorn chicken, for example, a sauce would make a big difference to dip it in. I like this place and expect to be back

Delicious. The kind of place where there's always a kid doing homework or playing with legos at one…read moreof the tables in the back. Built on consistency and neighborhood loyalty. Basically two places in one: * Boba Tea - Grab a drink and walk the park across the street. Fantastic boba texture and flavor. * Restaurant - Focus on the Popcorn Chicken and the Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup A easy place to make a regular haunt.

One of my favorite meals while visiting Chicago! It wasn't too busy and service checked up on us…read moreoften. We got the cucumber salad, popcorn chicken, and fried sweet potatoes to share for appetizers! I got the pork noodle soup for myself and ended the meal with a shared mango shaved ice dessert. I appreciated how the food was authentic with generous portions and overall, delicious. Everyone also liked their entree! Pork noodle soup was a lot more filling than I thought with flavorful broth.