Timeless Tea Beet Lemon Tea: I was hopeful to find a good bubble tea shop but ultimately found Timeless Tea, a shop close to University District, to be disappointing. The teas are on the expensive side (many over $6), though the menu is expansive. My beet lemon tea had a ton of sliced lemons in it, which filled up much of the volume of the cup, and there were so many lemon seeds that it made it difficult to drink. Flavor-wise, it wasn't any better than you would expect the combination of beet juice and lemon water to... (read more) 2.0/5.0
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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
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Out the Door Bubble tea: I rarely eat in the Ferry Building in SF, but on this rare occasion, I decided to try a bahn mi at Out The Door. I got a bubble tea to accompany my sandwich and am sad to report that it was terrible. The tea was super sweet, and the boba somehow managed to be both hard on the inside and mushy outside, a combination I didn’t know was possible. Worst of all, it was expensive because it’s the Ferry Building. The sandwich wasn’t too much better, by the way-they use normal French baguette instead... (read more) 1.5/5.0
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Matchabar Rose matcha milk tea: I really enjoyed a bottled Fuji ginger matcha drink from Matchabar a few months ago and decided to try a freshly-made beverage from their small to-go window in Soho. This rose matcha milk tea, while colorful, was actually quite bad - very sweet, and quickly diluted. Hardly any green tea flavor, and tasted like watery milk after only a few minutes. Definitely $5 wasted. 1.5/5.0
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Tea Do black milk tea with boba: Decided to try this highly rated spot in Chinatown, but the milk tea was all wrong. It had a syrupy taste with very little herbal flavor, and the boba was some of the worst I've had. Far too soft. For a high calorie item, this drink fails on all fronts. 1.0/5.0
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Yaya Tea Clean Clothes kiwi and mango fruit tea with boba: This Little Italy-based tea shop has mixed fruit tea flavors with bizarre names like “Blue Blood” and “My First Car.” I ordered one of the weirdest ones, a mango and kiwi fruit tea called “Clean Clothes.” Somehow the tea managed to be simultaneously super artificial tasting yet also incredibly diluted, with a sweet yet sour flavor that reminded me of those Chinese jello snacks and Jolly Rancher candies. The boba was similarly subpar - overly hard and lacking any taste. Definitely the worst... (read more) 1.0/5.0
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