Perfect place for fresh and warm onigiri and a drink. Their new hojicha latte was perfect sweetness for me and the oat milk flavor worked well with the hoji after letting it mix for a min. Also tried their japanese, chicken, and salmon small onigiri and thought it was a good filling to rice ratio. read more

After reading Yelp reviews on Yaya Tea, I decided to go into Yaya Tea and check the place out. It was hot and humid outside and wanted a place to get a cold drink and rest up. I was looking at the cold drinks and notice the Taro Milk Tea and ordered a small cold one. Had no idea that all other items you put in was a la cart. I did not want the want toppings and staff said you can have soy milk or almond milk. I went for the almond milk and had no idea they charge you 50 cents. So the total for the Taro Milk Tea with Almond milk came out to $5.50. I wanted to get a snack too, so I went for the Onigiris/Riceballs and selected the Yaya Chicken (with seaweed). Good thing I took one of the menus to look at how to open the riceball. The item did not look like the picture in the menu. Maybe it's just a picture to show what the inside looked like. The Onigiris came in two sizes- small or large. Tried the small this time around. The filling was skimpy and the chicken was dry and salty. Was not too crazy about it. The seaweed tasted good. Would I come back? I probably would not go for an Onigiris. I would come and get the Taro Milk Tea again. It's a cute little shop with tables and chairs to sit. More people coming it and it gets pretty hot. Cute items for sale on the shelves. read more

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I grew up on Yaya's on Grand Street in Chinatown. They serve up yummy and simple riceballs and have punny drinks that taste great too. This particular location doesn't stray far from the original store. I ordered three small riceballs and a drink. Each riceball has a hefty portion of rice and usually comes with a decent amount of filling except for the spam one. Spam Riceball: The saddest one of the bunch. literally just half a slice of spam for 4$ is insane. The ratio of rice to spam is kinda ridiculous, I would not order this again. Japanese Riceball: A simple but good combination of ingredients. A classic option from them. Beef Bulgogi Riceball: Having this one definitely made the spam one seem lacking. There was a generous portion of beef and the flavor was there. FML (Drink): Strawberry, peach, pineapple black tea. I quite liked this drink. You could taste the different fruits and it wasn't overly sweet. read more

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Yaya Tea has always been one of my favorite places to go for boba and a quick bite. I remember when Yaya Tea in Elmhurst opened back when I was in high school - I haven't visited too frequently in the past few years because I was away for university, but I usually try to make time and make a stop back at this local gem. During this particular visit, I would've liked a little more attentiveness and care. I ordered a Lychee Tree with Aloe Vera (~$5) and an S Yaya Chicken Onigiri (~$4). Instead of Aloe Vera, I was given Pop Lychee instead. I also remember the place giving much more filling in the onigiri in the past. Nonetheless, I can't complain too much. It seemed like there was one cashier making the drinks and one person in the back making the food. Aside from me, there were about 3-4 groups of families coming in and out close to closing time, so given the short number of staff, they seemed to manage quite well. Plus, the low cost (~$9) is something worth highlighting. I feel this price point is hard to come by nowadays for boba and a small snack especially of decent-to-good quality. read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - Yaya Chicken (S) RB and Lychee Tree - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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Yesterday, I went in with my niece to purchase an iced tea ("First Love"). I frequent this establishment approximately once a week when I am in town. Usually, service is impeccable but the last two trips (prior to this one) service from staff has been less than ideal. On one occasion, the unfriendly young lady (small stature, possibly Hispanic) behind the counter made a mistake on my order, realized her mistake, and did not apologize. Hence, I was prepared for a lackluster service the third time around. But the young lady (Cindy) was very cheerful and attentive AND she recognized me and my dietary needs (I had conveyed to her earlier this summer that I am a diabetic who is always looking for a low-sugar drink). Prompted by her friendliness, I sought her assistance in helping me buy a sticker displayed on the wall. She replied that the stick was from a local event and she wasn't sure if they had any more. However, she was certain they had bags from that event and if I wanted one. Living in California and always nostalgic for my neighborhood, I was excited to purchase it. But she went and gave it to me free of charge! Thank you so much, Cindy, we need more hospitable staff servers like you read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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I love the onigiri. I like the one with seaweed, the one with ginger chicken (Yum!) and the one with spicy tuna. I found one onigiri the one just tuna to be plain. There was a huge wait for my food, but luckily I was on my lunch break, so I could wait 20 minutes. Fair warning. They make everything fresh here, so set aside wait time. They have a wall of hoodies, Japanese snacks, and cute random things. I see that they have cute merch inside with hats of boba and cute Instagrammable map and adorable sayings which I am a huge fan of...and why I return. read more

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They messed up on our order and didn't give us any salmon onigiri when we ordered two. But these are the best filling and satisfying Onigiri I've had so far. It's super cute inside and they sell a lot of different merch like hats which is cute! read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - Onigiri - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

I was super excited about this spot because of the onigiri and bubble tea. While it wasn't horrible, I wasn't impressed. The spot itself is nestled between a few other restaurants and tucked away from the main road. It is a cozy spot with cute decor. Because of COVID, it was closed off for seating. I ordered several onigiri, including the popular Yaya Chicken. A small size is $3 and a large is $5. I was underwhelmed by the onigiri. It was very salty and had minimal chicken. It wasn't like the other onigiris I'd had in the past. While I'm happy I tried it, I wouldn't return. Their bubble tea was not too bad and standard for bubble tea. They have a decent amount of flavors, and offer fruit and freshly brewed teas. Prices were standard as well. Overall, it's not a bad spot to grab bubble tea and something to munch on, especially since there's a park 1 block away. And, if you're a fan of saltier onigiri, then go for it! read more

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Order ahead on the phone or else you'll be served an attitude with your order. They made a fuss about us not calling ahead with our order. The person at the front basically sounded like we should've known better and should have called ahead to order. There was NO ONE ELSE waiting in line in the store. I came to check out this location since it's closer to me than their Chinatown location, but my experience at the other one was so much better than this one. I had their Yaya chicken flavored onigiri in Chinatown and have been looking forward to trying this location and sharing it with my friends. I tried the shrimp tempura onigiri and it was my least favorite flavor from here. This store also has the merch (glass bottles/hats/keychains/plushies, etc.) and snacks that the other location has. There's nice decoration, but the service at the cash register really ruined my experience. read more

Onigiri is surprisingly hard to find in NYC and this spot gives you pretty hefty ones with a variety of flavors. The bubble tea is just fine but with the onigiri combo I keep coming back. ONIGIRI For those unfamiliar, onigiri is a japanese "rice ball" made of sushi rice surrounding some filling, wrapped in seaweed into a triangle shape. I've tried a variety of them including shrimp tempura, salmon, chicken w/ seaweed salad. They're all pretty on par w each other, I think the best is the chicken w/ seaweed surprisingly as the seaweed salad gives a nice cool crunch with the sweet glaze chicken. Everything else is pretty standard and tastes how you would expect so if you want to try onigiri or have a fix, this is a good spot to get it! BUBBLE TEA Their strength is a diverse menu with multiple options and customizability. I've gotten multiple of their fruit teas which are sweet but not too sweet, and have a tangy tea flavor but tastes more on the artificial side. However, you can get cool flavor combos like lychee and blueberry which you dn't see everywhere else. Their tapioca bubbles are chewy and on par with other boba shops. Come for a quick snack and bring some onigiri home for your family and friends! I always snag some on my way out when I visit my family and return to other parts of the city. read more

Came here on the run for a snack. Hasn't had lunch so I was starving. Ordered two rice balance or Onigiri. One spam and the other shrimp tempura. Came out piping hot. Thought they would generally let rice cool a bit. But doesn't matter, I was starving. Rice balls were good. Wish there was a bit more spam or perhaps a full slice of spam in the middle, but it turned out to be strips of spam evenly distributed. Tempura was on point. Would have been even better with eel sauce and some masago rather than just mayo. Washed it all down with a large iced milk tea. That milk tea sans boba was on point!! Enjoy! And bon appetit! read more

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Good and quick service and the food ties it all Together. Highly recommend to check this place out. read more

The boba drinks were fantastic, with a wide variety of flavors to choose from. But what really caught my attention was the onigiri. the onigiri was definitely a highlight of my visit. The rice was perfectly seasoned and the fillings were fresh and flavorful. I especially enjoyed the takoyaki onigiri, but all of the options looked tempting. The shop had a welcoming atmosphere, with cute decor. I will definitely be returning read more

I've visited Yaya Tea Garden in the past and wasn't wowed but while in the general vicinity waiting for my dinner take out, I decided to give Yaya Tea another try. Having been given guidance that perhaps I should note that I wanted a stronger flavor in my tea when ordering, I did exactly so and was rewarded with a better version than I had previously received. This time I tried a cold Oolong Milk Tea which definitely had a stronger tea flavor for sure. There was plenty of ice in my drink which may have filtered down the flavor a bit. It was only slightly sweet which I'll know to up the next time I visit as it didn't feel sweet enough. The restaurant has a great welcoming feel with a few tables and some plush bench seating. There were a number of pricey but unique bagged snacks and treats. Finally the staff are friendly and accommodating if you ask for recommendations. read more

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Yaya has debut in Queens! Yay!!! Yaya have always been a good snacking and chilling spot in Chinatown. It's the perfect rest stop for drinks, rice balls, and takoyaki balls. My hubby and I stopped by here after our afternoon neighborhood stroll. This location is bright, cozy, and nicely decorated with such Queens pride. We both shared two drinks and two rice balls. For rice balls, we got the Shrimp Tempura Crab Meat Rice Ball and the Japanese Rice Ball. Shrimp Tempura Crab Meat was crispy and quite tasty. Japanese was great and my favorite of the two, it comes with seaweed, crab meat, and pieces of boiled egg (although I remember it being scrambled). For drinks we enjoyed the Lychee Tree and First Car. Of course, each drink comes with a cute little message taped at the bottom - nice little life reminders! I absolutely will be coming back! I wish Yaya much success and welcome to the neighborhood! read more

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Cute tea shop which also has onigiri. They also carry adorable bubble tea merchandise! Even the bags were adorable. Small and lavender but not useful for carrying much else. There is also a message on the bottom of each cup. Nice little surprises. I had a peach white tea which was pretty good, but where this place shines is the onigiris. They are fresh and comes with a variety of flavors as well as a small or large size. I tried the yaya chicken and yaya shrimp, both which has seaweed in it. I wasn't fond of the chicken's flavor but I loved the shrimp tempura one! Highly recommended! They were warm and the shrimp tempura was still crispy. read more

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Welcome to the COVID-19 CHRONICLES where a part of my review will also take into account the changes the businesses have taken as a response to the pandemic. COVID Changes: There isn't any outdoor seating or indoor. Food&Drinks: Prices are still the same. I suggest calling in for an order because they can get backed up and the food is made fresh. I really like the rice ball for a quick snack. They are neatly packaged. The drinks are from loose tea leaves. Service: Service is great, the wait time can be long. Bottom line: You can't go wrong with Yaya's rice balls and a drink. It's a comforting meal that you can eat on the spot or eat as cold for later. Bottom line: The drinks are never too sweet and you have several topping options. The cafe is always maintained and cleaned. read more

I like Yaya more in idea than execution. The onigiri is good, and I've only had it in one other place, but here there is not much filling. I see others say the ratio of filling to rice is well balanced, but maybe it's the American in me that basically wants ALL THE THINGS stuffed into that modest triangle of rice and nori. I was not a fan of their takoyaki, I can't recall why but I had strong feelings about it at the time and have avoided it ever since. I will say it's a filling and affordable meal or snack, and easy to eat on the go. Their packaging is very cute, with fun stickers that let you know which one is which. Bubble tea is great. read more

Smooth and quick transaction. Time from order to leaving with food was 60 seconds. How?? Got their Boyfriend and Lychee green tea iced. Both magical drinks but the Boyfriend takes the cake. I know they list the flavors as mango, lychee, and white tea but honestly I feel like they might've sprinkled a bit of love in there too. Their onigiri are pleasantly plump with just the right ratio of filling to rice. They're the perfect to-go food. I recommend their Yaya Chicken and Salmon onigiri. read more

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This was my first time at Yaya and it was pretty good. Order: - The Hulk regular sweetness, no ice, with mango stars (4/5) Pros: - A lot of drinks to choose from - Drinks are tasty - They sell food/snacks ~ Yaya is famous for their rice balls and they also have pocky, hi-chew, etc. - Service was fast and nice Cons: - Credit card minimum of $10 Overall: - A great bubble tea spot in Elmhurst. If I'm in the area, I'll be sure to visit again. read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - The Hulk with mango stars - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

I'm so glad there's a Queens branch so I don't have to trek out all the way to Manhattan to get decently priced, good quality rice balls. After trying the Japanese rice ball, I have to say that it's my favorite one by far. It's got the most filling (imo) amd best bang for your buck. I also got the salmon and yaya chicken one as well. The salmon one is just...a small amount of salmon meat in between rice. It'd be awesome if they could add some kind of smoky flavor or sauce to the salmon meat. The squid one is passable. Aka there's a reason why there's no heart next to it on the menu...it was just three pieces of what tasted like fishballs and rice. Would not get this one again. The yaya chicken is a bit spicy. I love that it comes with the seaweed salad. Filling wise it's not as plentiful as the Japanese one (imo). Also tried the boyfriend tea...mango and lychee go well together! I like the little motivational sayings on the side of the cups and taped to the bottom. They also sell Asian snacks on the side and store-branded merch (glass bottles with bear ears as the bottle cap, thermoses in the cutest colors and even large glass drinking bottles, plushies etc). read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - Salmon onigiri...not much filling - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

DO NOT USE KIOSK!!!!!!!! I've been to this store several times and it's always a quick pick me up. I live in this area so I come here often. There was one time an employee told me to use the kiosks to place my order. There was no one in the store but me and whoever was working there. Not thinking too much of it, I used it and placed orders through the kiosk. After several orders through the kiosk through my days of nonchalantly ordering drinks, I just saw today that the toppings were 75cents as opposed to 83cents on the kiosk and out of curiosity, I asked them why. While the girls tried to explain there's nothing they can do, this one girl went to speak to the manager. She came back apologizing and said "the manager said you should have looked at the difference in price in our menu and the kiosk before you ordered." That sounded RIDICULOUS, and I was absolutely dumbfounded that a manager would say something like that. And to add on to this, if I DID comply with their menu...toppings and add ons are only 50cents, but I didn't bring that to light for them. Because what can they really do? Just continue to say "there's nothing we can do." I don't really care about the difference in 25cents or 13cents...however, what I really do find offending is the attitude and inability to handle the situation along with the "when it's busy, we would tell the customer to use the kiosk." But yet, you guys don't tell the customers there is a slight price increase. read more

I originally gave them 4 stars but changed it to 5 when I noticed they have motivation quotes under their drinks. Just ordered delivery from them. We ordered the Thai tea, boyfriend tea, oolong and Taro tea along with some rice balls and takoyaki. Drinks were made to perfection. It was my first time trying rice balls and I love it!!! I tried takoyaki before in other places, but from here it was not fresh. The takoyaki was stale and rubbery. Delivery man was very friendly. Will order from them when I crave some rice balls and bubble teas Thank you for staying open during this protest, riots and pandemic! read more

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They have 3 different vegan onigiris which is good. It's located near my job so soon, once I start night shift, I can definitely get few onigiris. I usually order ahead so I can just pick up the food without waiting a long time. Its a good snack to enjoy with your bubble tea. Never actually stayed in since always just get to go. But the place looks really cute. Once I have more time would definitely would wanna eat here. read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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Yaya is a pretty fun boba shop. What makes them different is their large array of fruit teas that have fun names like "The Hulk". The tea here is good and their fruit combos are pretty unique. We did also try their bubble tea which was decent albeit not remarkable. The merch here is also pretty fun so if you're into boba themed tees or plushies, this place is for you. Staff was prompt and friendly. Thumbs up. read more

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Super cute place to get a refreshing drink, fast and reliable service. Friendly people working there who help guide you in what teas you might be interested in. So many different options for tea variations. The food is a hit or miss but the rice balls are good. Also the inspirational quotes on the bottom of the cup are always a nice touch! read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

This place used to be great. Food was great and so were their drinks. The last two times were NOT great. There was a problem with my phone order but we already drove away so I let it go (wrong item)- the kids weren't happy about it but it happens. The last time the drinks were horrible and tasted like water. We ordered four drinks and I called about it so they refunded me for two. There wasn't an argument or anything and I didn't call back to complain further, but it was really awful - both hot and cold drinks. We haven't been back since. Unfortunate as they have a good product, just no quality control. For the amount they charge I really do expect to receive what I ordered and consistency each time. Sad to lose a local-ish snack place for the kids, but when I told them I was done they agreed. read more

I'm so happy theres a yaya tea garden in Elmhurst!! I use to go to their location in Chinatown all the time years ago just for their rice balls. The location of this Yaya isn't on the broadway strip which is a little disappointing especially during the colder months but probably 3 minutes off of the broadway strip. I love all of the rice balls. I tried most of them. My favorite being their shrimp tempura, tuna, and salmon. Make sure you get their spicy mayo sauce! Even though it's a little extra it's really makes a difference. I ended up buying so much spicy mayo that I just bought a bottle of spicy mayo at the store. I wish they had a punch card for their rice balls because that's mostly what I order. They only have a punch card for drinks/food. Their drinks are pretty solid but I prefer their fruitier ones. You can adjust your drink from the level of ice, level of sugar, to their toppings. The price from drinks can range anywhere from $3-$6. Also the people working at their store are really helpful. They suggest options for you if you're unsure and they're super nice when it comes to customizing everything. The decor of the place is also adorable and they offer a bunch of snacks and apparel! read more

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I love YaYa Tea. The food is great and the drinks are good too. Definitely 5 stars. My recommendations are the YaYa Chicken and Japanese. read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - New YaYa Tea menu - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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SO SO SO happy that they have a location close by to me. Such a cute place with great Japanese treats and rice balls and more. I'm a big fan of onigiri, and they have so many kinds. So far I've tried the takoyaki, the spam, and the shrimp tempura ones. Gyoza is good and fried. And I've had the Boyfriend bubble tea which is Mango and Lychee White Tea, as well as the Lychee Tree with Strawberry and Lychee White Tea. They were both great, and I added Lychee jelly. Love lychee too. The staff is super nice and friendly, and the food and drinks come out really quick. ALSO the menu has glass bottles, if you want one you have to ask. You can reuse them every time you go back and get a 10% discount on your drink. They're like $5.50 I think. Something along those lines I think. read more

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Do not get the milk tea here. Maybe the fruit teas are better but the milk tea is very watery and lacks flavor. Bubbles are hard and tasteless. Probably one of the worst bubble teas I've had. The chicken onigiri was tasty and fresh. The chicken was nicely marinated and had a good contrast with the seaweed salad. The only reason why I'm adding another star. read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - Also, tapioca all clumped together... - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

This is the first Yaya I've been to and I am obsessed. Onigiri and bubble tea is such a great pairing- sort of wished more spots did this. It makes a perfect snack. I ordered a takoyaki onigiri, a kani (imitation crabmeat) onigiri, and a yaya chicken onigiri. Personally I think the takoyaki one is the best. I love the little stickers on each of them and how they write the instructions on how to open. Also ordered a green milk tea, but tasted a bit watered down. The decorations inside are super cute and there's a couple of tables to sit in. Aside from that they also sell some Japanese snacks :) ! read more

Love their taro milk tea with boba. It is definitely one of the best that we tried. The variety of onigiri is also good choice and they taste good. Their price point is also not bad read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - Interior - love this map of their location - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

The boba was so good and when you go inside you get to costume it by yourself and you get to add the sugar level of the boba and you can also add piping boba in it and it is sooooooooo good read more

It was about time they opened a Queens' location! I'm so happy I don't have to travel so far for them anymore. My boyfriend and I stopped by on a weekday around 3 p.m. and the place had a few people already - not surprised considering their following. The location is not on the main road in Broadway so there isn't a lot of foot traffic and therefore it's not insanely packed. Love the decor in this location the most. We ordered 2 large Japanese rice balls, 1 large salmon and 1 large yaya chicken. My boyfriend got the hulk drink which is green apple green tea and I got the classic black milk tea with tapioca. I liked the flavor of both drinks but they did taste watered down and compared to the abundance of drink places in Broadway, they could definitely do better! I would recommend getting the small sized rice balls because it's better in proportion of rice to filling. Side note : love the yaya stickers on the rice balls to indicate which one it is! They also ask for your name for the order like starbucks now. read more

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Went on a food binge today, it ended with YAYA's. I've been curious after reading about the locations in Manhattan during my previous trips to the US. I was elated to here another had opened in walking distance, now I'll visit daily!!! For my maiden visit, I had ordered their Tealuxe milk tea, shumai onigiri, shrimp tempura with crab and YAYA's chicken onigiri. They come in small and large sizes, though there's not a huge difference in sizing so I went with small (averaging just over $3 each, not bad at all). Now they look small but it is filling, in addition like everyone else has commented, the packaging and cute little labels almost make you not want to eat them and keep them forever and ever. Flavour-wise, very good! Love the ratios, rice was nice and fluffy, batter of tempura shrimp was light, awesome notes of the nori with each bite, well-packed so it didn't fall apart whilst eating, all in all SUPER satisfying. Best I've had in NYC :D The milk tea on the other hand....the item I ordered was supposed to be a trio of teas, which I did detect though only subtle. I also recommend, if you're a sweet tooth like myself, go with at least 50 percent sugar, otherwise it will taste bland and watered down. I was underwhelmed with my drink but they did have a variety of other types, which I'd happily come back to try. LOVED the wall of Japanese snacks, thermos, water bottles, teas, plushes and even YAYA keychain accessories. It was very colourful and made time fly by just looking whilst waiting for your order. I ended up buying my husband a shake mixer tumbler for only $7.....was super tempted to buy the plushes haha. Only thing to note, it's not suitable for children, large groups or strollers. But definitely coming back, at least weekly haha read more

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Yayas is super dope! Amazing prices, great food, great tea- great everything! I love the neighborhood but this place just adds a level of coziness to my experience. My favorite thing to order is the mango bubble tea (super good!). The staff is nice, patient and extra friendly if you aren't sure what to order. Bottom Line: I recommend coming here with friends or alone. It's too good not to try. read more

Always come here for my Onigiri, always fresh and taste amazing! I tend to also go for the Boyfriend tea along side the food, never disappoints. read more

My favorite bubble tea spot in queens! Their staff is friendly and accommodating and I've always had a good experience here. My go to is the Taro bubble tea with almond/soy milk! I like the fact that have lactose free options that are quite delicious! If you are in the mood for fruity rather than milky i would recommend the "i love yaya." Its a passionfruit based oolong tea and all their tea based drinks have a very robust steeped tea flavor! Their onigiri's are also quite delicious and definitely worth picking up to pair with your drink for a quick lunch! read more

Riceballs are amazing, and the fruit teas to go along with it! Personal favorite: takoyaki riceball with lychee tree P.s.: dont forget their limited time only winter specials! read more

Yaya Tea - Elmhurst - Winter Drink Specials - Japanese Near Me - Elmhurst, New York

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