iTea Matcha milk tea with boba and red bean: This matcha drink from iTea in SF contains red bean and boba as default toppings. While the matcha milk tea was decent, the red bean was heavily sweetened so that this 30% sweetness beverage tasted more like a normal 100% sweetened drink. Texturally, the red bean also seemed canned as it was slightly too soft. As a result, I’d recommend getting the drink but skipping the red bean topping. 2.5/5.0
drinks sf milktea itea matcha milk tea boba red bean 2.5 bubbletea
Pa Tea Jasmine Green Tea with Boba: I really liked the brown sugar oolong milk tea I had from Pa Tea a few weeks ago and decided to return to try a different beverage. Unfortunately, this jasmine green tea was just ordinary. The tea had an slight floral jasmine flavor, but it tasted predominantly of milk. The boba was also quite bad, with a texture that was too soft. Given this quality, I probably would not go back again, at least not unless I just happen to be near Union Square. 2.5/5.0
drinks milktea boba patea jasmine green tea 2.5
Chicha San Chen Osmanthus Oolong Tea with Boba: Was recommended this Taiwanese bubble tea chain from multiple people after they opened just their second US location in Bellevue WA (the first is in San Gabriel in LA). It's located in a small strip mall a block away from the Bellevue Square Mall and while it has a tight, busy parking lot, there is some additional parking down the street. The line was ridiculously long and it took about 30 minutes to place our order, and a little over 10 minutes to get our drinks. Overall, the atmosphere ... (read more) 2.5/5.0
bubbletea milktea Bellevue seattle chichasanchen osmanthus oolong tea boba 2.5
Purple Kow Rosie Oolong Tea with Brown Sugar Jelly: Somehow, I kept finding myself at this bubble tea shop in Berkeley, likely because of its proximity to the downtown BART station. Purple Kow serves its bubble tea in "chubby" cups (essentially stout buckets) and uses organic milk products for its milk teas. I think they're a little too proud of this fact given that the last few milk teas I've had have been overwhelmingly milky to the point that you feel like you're having sweetened milk. Even with the "micro sugar option," it was too swee... (read more) 2.0/5.0
drinks milktea berkeley purplekow rosie oolong tea brown sugar jelly 2.0
U-Cha Bomber Man milk tea with boba: After having a surprisingly good ginger milk tea last time I visited U-Cha in Berkeley, I decided to try one of their signature drinks, the Bomber Man milk tea. Unfortunately, the drink has nothing to do with our favorite Hudson Soft video game hero. Instead, the drink is essentially milk without tea. But even at 25% sweetness, the drink was overwhelmingly sweet as the honey boba has a caramel-like gooey outer layer. I wouldn't be surprised if even at 0% sugar, the drink would still be t... (read more) 2.0/5.0
avoid drinks milktea bubbletea ucha bomber man milk tea boba 2.0
163 Vietnamese Sandwich milk tea with boba: When I end up in Chinatown, I always attempt to find a decent bubble tea shop. Did I find it in this highly rated spot? Alas, no. The tea was diluted, the sugar crystals not fully dissolved such that every few sips, I'd get a crunch. The boba was even worse, with a mushy texture that was far too soft. Which leaves me with the question: is there any decent bubble tea to be found in Boston's "Chinatown"? 1.5/5.0
boba bubbletea milktea boston chinatown avoid 1.5 tea drinks 163vietnamesesandwich milk