Order Urban Ritual Takeout or Delivery
Urban Ritual Photos
Business Info
You might also consider
Recommended Reviews - Urban Ritual
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
One of the boba shop I visit at Downtown San Mateo. It has some special drink which you cannot find at other like boba shop like white grape yuzu. It also have limited time special drink. The shop is not that big but it has sitting area. The ordering is via 2 small touch screen. The drink usually ready pretty fast. I like the the white grape yuzu. It is very refreshing.
This spot has been my go to boba spot ever since I moved to San Mateo. The boba here is fresh and you have the option of customizing your drinks with the selected kiosk options and the comments section. The staff always serves my drinks with a smile, enhancing my overall experience. So far I've tried the POG, Matcha Toffee, Feed me Ube, Crème Brûlée, Crème Brûlée Milk Tea, and Clarified Ube Lemonade. If I had to pick three, I would probably go with the Matcha Toffee, Crème brûlée milk tea and the POG. The matcha toffee I would recommend having a spoon nearby for the surprise once you finish the drink. The matcha itself is pretty good. The crème brûlée milk tea has good flavor and tastes good with or without boba. If you're feeling adventurous, I would recommend trying it with the Ube crème brûlée. The POG is one of their best fruit drinks in my opinion. They have a couple of others but this one is the best out of the ones I remember trying. They also have a seating area and a bathroom in the back so if you wanted to come in and get some work done, that is definitely an option. Overall great boba spot and I will be returning!
I love how creative the drinks are and how diverse the menu is. I've tried most items on the menu and they've all been pretty good and adventurous! For today, we got a diverse set of drinks: Feed Me Ube w/boba, House Milk Tea, and the Lemon Tea. 1) Feed me Ube: 4/5. This is one of my staple drinks here. I love how they use actual ube and taro paste instead of the powder mix. The powdery taro or ube drinks are always artificial and have a weird texture to me, so I appreciate the fresh ingredients! However, the boba this time was a bit softer than I would've liked. Other times, the boba texture could be good. I wish there was more consistency in their boba. 2) House Milk Tea: 5/5. I'm always impressed when a boba milk tea actually has the tea flavor, and this drink is definitely one of them! I requested for 30% sweetness, and it was exactly as expected, so thank you for that! 3) Lemon Tea: 5/5. I wanted something a bit lighter and refreshing compared to the other two drinks and this really met my expectations. As described, it is reminiscent of a lemon tea you'd get from a Hong Kong cafe. I ordered less sweet, and it was just perfect! Again, tea forward drink, not watered down. Overall, good drinks, with perfect sweetness, even with adjustments! The boba shop itself only has a few tables inside. I typically get it to-go and sip on it as I walk around downtown.
I stopped by on a week day afternoon. The place was not busy. I went for a Creme brulee milk tea. That was an excellent flavorful drink.
They are known for their matcha toffee boba, but I decided to try their Pandan Corn Milk with strawberry which is an interesting spin on the classic strawberry matcha latte drink. It was pretty light and the boba is quite soft and chewy, but doesn't quite have that resistance to it. The boba texture is still quite good, it is definitely not old which some other places serve. The pandan corn milk strawberry was quite good, although the flavor of the pandan and the corn can get lost with strawberry being such a strong flavor. I would get it if you like these flavors, but otherwise I would recommend their other classic signatures!
As you can tell by the number of drinks I've ordered, Urban Ritual is one of my preferred boba places in San Mateo downtown, land of the boba shops. They are good for their high quality ingredients, tea strength, and sophisticated flavors. That's right, sophisticated flavors. Because who else makes pairings like matcha and toffee, white grape and yuzu, or lychee IPA? They also usually have three or more rotating seasonal flavors, and their original location is in San Francisco. My main gripes are that sometimes my tea strength is not consistently strong, and the flavors are very limited. They have a lot more caffeine-free drinks in their selection, but I mainly want tea, and wish I can order some of their caffeine-free drinks with a tea base. The lack of tea strength was especially present the last time I ordered the house milk tea, which should taste great; instead, it tasted like a watered-down basic milk tea. Their popular drink, the creme brulee milk tea, is their black milk tea with a custard dollop and a side of burnt sugar. I'm not into that, but to each their own. I like their fruit teas a lot more, especially since they use fresh fruit purees and pulp. I also really like their seasonal genmaicha and mango sticky rice, which literally tastes like that in smooth liquid form. Their boba is usually good and chewy, yet bouncy. I tried their drinkable mochi and they didn't get the texture right, as it was sandy and disintegrated. They have a mini dessert called the baby brulee, which is basically a mini creme brulee (custard pudding) filled with boba, and torched sugar on top. It's actually pretty delicious with just the right amount of sweetness! Anyways, if you consider yourself to have a "refined" taste for drinks, this is probably your best bet. If you're a basic boba bitch, then probably not (not a bad thing). I usually hover somewhere in the middle.
Whoops my previous review I said 3/5 but I clearly put 4 stars haha. BUT ANYWAYS, I went back here recently and I guess they changed their toffee bits? Not sure but, it doesn't have that same crunch texture that I loved from before.. I was so sad! I was looking forward to drinking my favorite toffee matcha drink.. :'(
Quality/Quantity - My daughter's favorite boba place. We go OUT of our way to visit all your locations. Today we got the following: 2 Jasmine Milk Tea Hong Kong Milk Tea Again, my daughter's favorite, so all good. Atmosphere - Small to-go only business. Limited street parking. We walked over after dinner. Open 7 days a week from 11am to 10pm or 11pm. Service - Self service kiosk. Counter service. Price - $22 for 3 drinks. The going rate these days. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2018 and with your 3 locations. We are regular customers at all 3 locations.
My favorite bubble tea spot! They even have a location in San Francisco, but I personally prefer this one. Their classic Hong Kong Milk Tea is a must-try, though I also highly recommend trying their seasonal drinks. Seasonal offerings vary by location, so it's always a fun surprise. One thing I really appreciated about this location is that they offer tea tastings--something the San Francisco store doesn't do. Plus, the staff here feels more friendly and welcoming. I usually visit in the night, so it's nice and quiet. There's seating inside, but there are also benches outside, making it perfect for some relaxed outdoor chilling. If you're a bubble tea lover, don't miss the Urban Ritual Honey Pearls--chewy and delicious, I genuinely don't think any other store can top them. My personal favorites: *Hong Kong Milk Tea *Lychee IPA P.S. My favorite spicy mala soup spot is just around the corner--trust me, cooling down with some bubble tea afterward is non-negotiable!
Black sesame was extremely THICK! I could not drink it! My solution was let it sit in refrigerator and successfully drink the beverage many hours later. Not fun, felt like I may have choked. Mango sticky rice was very watery. Service was professional. Cozy seating area.
Feed me ube & black sesame rice ball are my favorite drinks to get here. The line moves quickly and the drinks are also prepared quickly as well. There are some tables inside if you want to sit and chill for a bit
Came in on a weeknight and the place was empty. My friend and I ordered our drinks at the kiosks. The drinks came out super fast. Within minutes of placing our orders! I ordered the Mango Sticky Rice drink and it was good! The drink name kind of threw me off, and half-way into drinking it, wished there was actual sticky rice inside. The drink wasn't supposed to come with it, but if it had, it would've been an even better drink.
4 months ago
This time we got some fruit teas and they were so good not overly sweet, and you can actually taste the tea (which I love). My friend got a fruit tea, and I tried the Toffee Matcha... omg, so thick, creamy, and just really satisfying. Service was also super sweet, the cashier guy was really friendly and helpful, which made the whole experience even better. Simple, solid, and always hits. Will definitely keep coming back read more
Came in here for some caffeine and was happy with the Hong Kong Milk Tea with drinkable mochi that I ordered. They didn't have their seasonal options displayed very well so I had to scramble and check their Instagram for descriptions/pictures but ultimately I'm happy I just went with a classic drink instead. The shop is super small and a little bit dark, could use some livening up! This location is a little hard to get to if you wanted to just pop in to pick up a drink but there is a parking garage about a block away. But otherwise loved my drink and haven't been disappointed with any visit to Urban Ritual. read more
One of the boba shop I visit at Downtown San Mateo. It has some special drink which you cannot find at other like boba shop like white grape yuzu. It also have limited time special drink. The shop is not that big but it has sitting area. The ordering is via 2 small touch screen. The drink usually ready pretty fast. I like the the white grape yuzu. It is very refreshing. read more
This spot has been my go to boba spot ever since I moved to San Mateo. The boba here is fresh and you have the option of customizing your drinks with the selected kiosk options and the comments section. The staff always serves my drinks with a smile, enhancing my overall experience. So far I've tried the POG, Matcha Toffee, Feed me Ube, Crème Brûlée, Crème Brûlée Milk Tea, and Clarified Ube Lemonade. If I had to pick three, I would probably go with the Matcha Toffee, Crème brûlée milk tea and the POG. The matcha toffee I would recommend having a spoon nearby for the surprise once you finish the drink. The matcha itself is pretty good. The crème brûlée milk tea has good flavor and tastes good with or without boba. If you're feeling adventurous, I would recommend trying it with the Ube crème brûlée. The POG is one of their best fruit drinks in my opinion. They have a couple of others but this one is the best out of the ones I remember trying. They also have a seating area and a bathroom in the back so if you wanted to come in and get some work done, that is definitely an option. Overall great boba spot and I will be returning! read more
1 year ago
I love how creative the drinks are and how diverse the menu is. I've tried most items on the menu and they've all been pretty good and adventurous! For today, we got a diverse set of drinks: Feed Me Ube w/boba, House Milk Tea, and the Lemon Tea. 1) Feed me Ube: 4/5. This is one of my staple drinks here. I love how they use actual ube and taro paste instead of the powder mix. The powdery taro or ube drinks are always artificial and have a weird texture to me, so I appreciate the fresh ingredients! However, the boba this time was a bit softer than I would've liked. Other times, the boba texture could be good. I wish there was more consistency in their boba. 2) House Milk Tea: 5/5. I'm always impressed when a boba milk tea actually has the tea flavor, and this drink is definitely one of them! I requested for 30% sweetness, and it was exactly as expected, so thank you for that! 3) Lemon Tea: 5/5. I wanted something a bit lighter and refreshing compared to the other two drinks and this really met my expectations. As described, it is reminiscent of a lemon tea you'd get from a Hong Kong cafe. I ordered less sweet, and it was just perfect! Again, tea forward drink, not watered down. Overall, good drinks, with perfect sweetness, even with adjustments! The boba shop itself only has a few tables inside. I typically get it to-go and sip on it as I walk around downtown. read more
They are known for their matcha toffee boba, but I decided to try their Pandan Corn Milk with strawberry which is an interesting spin on the classic strawberry matcha latte drink. It was pretty light and the boba is quite soft and chewy, but doesn't quite have that resistance to it. The boba texture is still quite good, it is definitely not old which some other places serve. The pandan corn milk strawberry was quite good, although the flavor of the pandan and the corn can get lost with strawberry being such a strong flavor. I would get it if you like these flavors, but otherwise I would recommend their other classic signatures! read more
As you can tell by the number of drinks I've ordered, Urban Ritual is one of my preferred boba places in San Mateo downtown, land of the boba shops. They are good for their high quality ingredients, tea strength, and sophisticated flavors. That's right, sophisticated flavors. Because who else makes pairings like matcha and toffee, white grape and yuzu, or lychee IPA? They also usually have three or more rotating seasonal flavors, and their original location is in San Francisco. My main gripes are that sometimes my tea strength is not consistently strong, and the flavors are very limited. They have a lot more caffeine-free drinks in their selection, but I mainly want tea, and wish I can order some of their caffeine-free drinks with a tea base. The lack of tea strength was especially present the last time I ordered the house milk tea, which should taste great; instead, it tasted like a watered-down basic milk tea. Their popular drink, the creme brulee milk tea, is their black milk tea with a custard dollop and a side of burnt sugar. I'm not into that, but to each their own. I like their fruit teas a lot more, especially since they use fresh fruit purees and pulp. I also really like their seasonal genmaicha and mango sticky rice, which literally tastes like that in smooth liquid form. Their boba is usually good and chewy, yet bouncy. I tried their drinkable mochi and they didn't get the texture right, as it was sandy and disintegrated. They have a mini dessert called the baby brulee, which is basically a mini creme brulee (custard pudding) filled with boba, and torched sugar on top. It's actually pretty delicious with just the right amount of sweetness! Anyways, if you consider yourself to have a "refined" taste for drinks, this is probably your best bet. If you're a basic boba bitch, then probably not (not a bad thing). I usually hover somewhere in the middle. read more
7 months ago
Whoops my previous review I said 3/5 but I clearly put 4 stars haha. BUT ANYWAYS, I went back here recently and I guess they changed their toffee bits? Not sure but, it doesn't have that same crunch texture that I loved from before.. I was so sad! I was looking forward to drinking my favorite toffee matcha drink.. :'( read more
7 months ago
Quality/Quantity - My daughter's favorite boba place. We go OUT of our way to visit all your locations. Today we got the following: 2 Jasmine Milk Tea Hong Kong Milk Tea Again, my daughter's favorite, so all good. Atmosphere - Small to-go only business. Limited street parking. We walked over after dinner. Open 7 days a week from 11am to 10pm or 11pm. Service - Self service kiosk. Counter service. Price - $22 for 3 drinks. The going rate these days. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2018 and with your 3 locations. We are regular customers at all 3 locations. read more
My favorite bubble tea spot! They even have a location in San Francisco, but I personally prefer this one. Their classic Hong Kong Milk Tea is a must-try, though I also highly recommend trying their seasonal drinks. Seasonal offerings vary by location, so it's always a fun surprise. One thing I really appreciated about this location is that they offer tea tastings--something the San Francisco store doesn't do. Plus, the staff here feels more friendly and welcoming. I usually visit in the night, so it's nice and quiet. There's seating inside, but there are also benches outside, making it perfect for some relaxed outdoor chilling. If you're a bubble tea lover, don't miss the Urban Ritual Honey Pearls--chewy and delicious, I genuinely don't think any other store can top them. My personal favorites: *Hong Kong Milk Tea *Lychee IPA P.S. My favorite spicy mala soup spot is just around the corner--trust me, cooling down with some bubble tea afterward is non-negotiable! read more
Black sesame was extremely THICK! I could not drink it! My solution was let it sit in refrigerator and successfully drink the beverage many hours later. Not fun, felt like I may have choked. Mango sticky rice was very watery. Service was professional. Cozy seating area. read more
1 year ago
Came in on a weeknight and the place was empty. My friend and I ordered our drinks at the kiosks. The drinks came out super fast. Within minutes of placing our orders! I ordered the Mango Sticky Rice drink and it was good! The drink name kind of threw me off, and half-way into drinking it, wished there was actual sticky rice inside. The drink wasn't supposed to come with it, but if it had, it would've been an even better drink. read more
I got the black sesame rice ball, perfect pear, white grape yuzu, and chrysanthemum tea. The black sesame was a 4/10 The mochi was really good, but the drink itself was very watery. The chrysanthemum was very strong, so would only recommend if you really like flowery drinks. The perfect pear was great, really just tasted like if you juiced a pear! Very refreshing! The white grape yuzu was very disappointing and had pieces of yuzu in it which I didn't love. The flavor also was not great. read more
7 months ago
For a while there, I used to hear my friends talk about Urban Ritual in SF more than a little fondly. Despite all of that praise, though, I have to admit that I never managed to make my way to their location to try them. So, of course it makes perfect sense that my first time trying them (as well as the next two...) happened to come at this location in San Mateo instead! What can I say? I guess my boba-crazed friend was right whenever she would say that the mood for boba and milk tea always hits harder when we're not in The City. Like nearly every other milk tea shop in the neighborhood, Urban Ritual is fairly small in stature (although, they they manage to squeeze in a few tables). Yet, unlike so many of their nearby competitors, the menu here is legitimately one of the most unique I've seen. Even Teaspoon, which is a (past) favorite that has a for more interesting menu than the likes of TP Tea, can't compare. At a glance, the collection of drinks here may not seem very extensive, but there's a good amount of creations to choose from that all sound terrific. They also have the option for you to create/customize your own "basic" milk tea, but it'd be a shame not to try something different, like their Black Sesame Rice Ball, Matcha Toffee, Mango Sticky Rice, or Strawberry Pandan Corn Milk! -- BLACK SESAME RICE BALL - Drinkable Mochi, Black Sesame, Rice Milk...$6.50 All of their drinks looked great, but this one stood out the most! The "drinkable mochi" is exactly - almost like a gooey pudding, but gloppy and with a slight chew. It also served as a nice contrast against the black sesame and rice milk, which wasn't exactly creamy, but had a nice thickness and nuttiness to it. -- MATCHA TOFFEE - Matcha Green Tea with Classic Milk and Bite-Sized House Made Toffee Brittle...$6.75 While I liked all three of the drinks that I tried, this just might have been my favorite. It wasn't intensely sweet like I had feared it would be (save for the sips with a bunch of the brittle) yet there was still enough buttery sweetness to add a richness to the otherwise classic sort of matcha latte flavor. -- RICE RICE BABY - Genmaicha Green Tea with Rice Milk Topped with Toasted Rice...$6.50 I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, but it was pretty solid! Not only did the toasted rice add a nice crunch, but it also reinforced the roasted element in the tea's flavor, too. As for the green tea and rice milk, it was something akin to a matcha latte, but not as sweet nor with as much body. Inevitably, at some point, another new, shiny sort of boba shop will open up and join the many existing options around 3rd Ave. However, unless they find a way to improve on what Urban Ritual does and/or offer something similar, but better, I can't imagine this place not ranking among my absolute favorites anywhere. That is, unless the one in SF turns out to be better! read more
My favorite boba place messed up my order :( I ordered a crème brûlée milk tea, sub regular milk for soy milk for extra fee, and they didn't add any milk or soy milk at all. It was just a crème brûlée tea, not milk tea. Tea was very bitter and watery. Toasted sugar bits were also burnt and bitter. Crème brûlée itself and boba was very soft and chewy. read more
Urban Ritual is one of my fave spots in SF and their quality holds up at their San Mateo location as well! I love trying their seasonal drinks - this time it's a strawberry pandan corn milk - and highly recommend their matcha. The drinks always come out quickly and there are two tablets for people to place their orders. All of the staff seem busy making drinks so there wasn't someone at the register, although you can see all of them working behidn the counter so I'm sure they'd be able to answer questions. I do wish this location were cleaner. The tablets have always felt grimy when I've used them and there isn't a great place to wait for your drink to come out. There's a narrow hallway in front of the counter but it gets crowded quickly. There are seats inside, but I recommend taking your drink to go anyway for these reasons. Overall, love the drinks! read more
1 year ago
The service is quick and efficient. The drink is very bad..... ordered the yuzu with white peach oolong tea. Less sugar. The yuzu syrup is really sweet. The mixture of yuzu with peach oolong is not that match. Will not be back read more
Have come to know Urban Ritual, first in the Hayes in San Francisco. Am beyond thrilled to find them closer to me in downtown San Mateo. Love that when one asks for less sweet the drink is... less sweet. In fact, even the fully sweetened drinks tend to be less sweet than other places. Love the ease of ordering at self ordering station and how easy it is to navigate the system. Love love the Asian inspired selections as well as the milk alternative and add-on choices. Parking is a slight issue as only street metered parking or in the Caltrain station or other parking lots. I hate to pay for parking when just jumping out to get a drink. Best to take a friend to jump out while driver waits on the car. Otherwise, street metered parking easily found. And I think the last time I only paid... 75 cents to park? Will I be back? You bet your matcha I will! read more
10 months ago
2 years ago
Urban Ritual has good milk teas, refreshing and not too sweet at the 50% sugar level. Order via tablet and pickup drinks from the counter. The service is quick and friendly, where they actually greet you. Cute cups with play on words such as "I knew you were the perfect matcha all oolong". Ambiance is ok with a few tables, but really more or a grab and go place. Definitely part of my regular drink shops in San Mateo area. read more
Wanted to try the strawberry pandan corn milk but they couldn't adjust sweetness for thar drink. Ended up getting the perfect pear. I got it less sweet and turned out to be pretty bland. Hubby's milk tea was ok and just lukewarm instead of hot. read more
2 years ago
My friends said Urban Ritual is a great choice in this area. We stopped by and ordered a few drinks: Hong kong milk tea Feed me ube Strawberry milk bar They have really interesting names for their drinks! How creative of them. For me, I thought the drinks aren't too sweet. Staffs are friendly and helpful. I'd love to stop by again and try other drinks on the menu. read more
2 years ago
I would say this place is more like a dessert shop than boba shop simply because all of their signature drinks are extremely sweet. The crème brûlée has always been my favorite however I tried a new drink yesterday. It's a strawberry pandan corn milk (oat milk) and it was delicious. This place doesn't do any adjustments to menu items, but they have great options available. Service was friendly and they have a bunch of small tables and seating inside. read more
I've heard lots of great things about the place, and glad I checked it out! Lots of unique combinations to choose from. I went with the Matcha Toffee, Fifty Sweet, Lite Ice, with Honey Boba and Oat Milk. This drink is phenomenal! Love the strength of the matcha, and pairs really well with the toffee bits. It creates a nice crunch in the tea, like cereal. The boba was cooked perfectly, and had a strong honey flavor. Also, perfect amount of sweetness and creaminess. I love this place, and will be back soon! 10/10 read more
Page 1 of 18
More info about Urban Ritual
140 South B St
San Mateo, CA 94401
Directions
(650) 458-3298
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.urbanritualcafe.com
Full menu
Hours
Payment methods
Food & Alcohol
Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
Other Amenities
From the Business
More Info
Health Score
Ask the Community - Urban Ritual
Does this shop use regular plastic lids or bubble tea sealer?
Regular plastic lids!
You might also consider
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
7 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
4 years ago
7 years ago
4 years ago
7 years ago
3 years ago
7 years ago
