Amazingggg!!! The che bo dam is sooo delicious! I've never had che with avocado in it but it is sooo yummy & creamy! I also like the suong sa hot luu. If you're into vietnamese desserts, you must try this place!The smoothies are also great. The soursop smoothie tastes light and refreshing. None of the desserts I've had are too sweet either. I definitely prefer asian desserts over american desserts. Can't wait to go again! There are a few locations in the area so be sure to check it out! read more

I got suckered! I love the drinks at Bamboo. They are great. On a hot and sunny day, nothing is better than sucking down a number 1. Always ask for more ice, it helps with the sweetness of the drink. 5 dollars is a bit expensive for a drink, but it is nice to treat yourself to something like this once in a while. Cafe Sua Da is extra strong here, so if you want a jolt of caffeine to keep you going, get that one. I don't care for the jelly here, but everything else is real yummy. Drink up and stay cool. read more

Best coconut smoothie hands down! I love Bambu desserts. After my first time having their Vietnamese dessert drink at the Milpitas plaza, I have to get a drink every time I see their shop!!! :) read more

I like their taro milk tea :D with pearls and the combo jelly. Yummmmm read more

BAMBU - Taro milk tea with combo jelly and pearls yum - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - San Jose, California

Updating my review- this is based on the customer service and as you can tell I knocked off one star, meaning the customer service wasn't that great. The cashier, which was girl, seemed rude and b*tchy. And on top if that the music was so loud she couldn't hear my order correct and she's right in front of me. Their drinks are good and all but damn at least try to look happy when you're taking orders. read more

POS: +very fresh and unparalleled dessert drink "che`" +very well made number 2 and 3. +quite efficient in term of fast service +reasonable price +not too sweet, the coconut milk is just delicious and tasty. NEG: -place is tiny. cant sit anywhere especially Fridays' nights. -Cash only like usual VIet places Overall, come here with friends to hang out since they have such sweet tooth for che. I'm ok to hang out and enjoy the company more than eating. read more

My new addiction. I have always ordered milk teas with boba in it, preferably taro flavored. Two weekends ago, my cousin took me to Bambu in Sacramento and I went ahead and ordered my usual milk tea. She wondered why I didn't order a desert and I just said that I love my boba teas. She said that she used to be like me and only order milk teas too, until she had a desert here and never looked back. I tried her desert, which was #10 and OMG, it was so darn good. Thank goodness there are several Bambus to choose from in the San Jose area, so I just chose this location because it was near Frys and I really don't like the congestion that other locations have to offer. I ordered a #10 again because it was what I was craving all week. #10 came with grass jelly, panden jelly and red tapioca. i also had some of my husband's #6 which had fresh coconut, jack fruit, lychees. Both deserts were super fresh and super tasty. I prefer 10 more because I have a thing for tapioca. The price is more than reasonable, and frankly, I don't care what the price was because I would still order it anyway. Being Vietnamese, I never really liked Vietnamese deserts. My view has now changed because I can't wait to get my hands on another #10. And just like my cousin, I am ditching the boba teas and ordering the deserts from now on. BTW, these places only take cash. read more

Bambu is one of the closest pearl tea places to me if I don't want to go all the way to Fantasia in Milpitas... the other being Barcode, in the same shopping complex, but doesn't even come close in quality to Bambu. As for the drinks, they're pretty fresh and not too sweet, as long as you don't find a screw in your smoothie (-1 star). No, it didn't happen to me, but the friend of an old coworker that was sitting at the table next to me had one in his drink. He was too nice to even request another drink.. and he actually kept drinking it so I guess that's a testament to how good the smoothie was.. read more

This place has all sorts of drinks: milk tea, fruit tea, coffee, and most importantly, CHE, or Vietnamese desserts. I had the #6 dessert drink, che trai cay (lychee longan, red tapioca, jackfruit palm seed, pandan jelly, jello), and it was delicious. It was packed with fruit and jelly with a sweet milk and ice on top. It was my first time trying che and it was definitely something new in a pleasant way. read more

BAMBU - Dessert #6 - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - San Jose, California

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A friend recommended this place back late 2011, I was hooked on the combination jelly dessert (I think it's the #1 on the dessert menu) with the colorful jellies. It's sort of milky but I can't tell if it's soy or coconut at first, then they confirmed that it was indeed coconut- for someone who's never been too fond of coconut this tasted really nice for a change. I like the beans and the green pandan jelly (FAVVVVV.... I had to google it to find out what it was :) suprisingly it's healthier than pearl tea?!?!) I went back sevearl times and tried their taro (they use real taro which is always a PLUSSSS) but then the drink became too gooey to drink so I still prefer the normal jelly desserts. This place is CASH ONLY, I ran over to Ranch 99 next door and got cash back just so I can my Che fix. I felt so guily though as my normal tea shop is right next door but this place is popping on the weekends! read more

I crave their dessert drinks all the time. It's especially refreshing on a hot summer's day. Some cold coconut juice with slices of young coconut... I'm a particular fan of the textures of all the jellies and tidbits they add in the drinks. The red tapioca is crunchy, the pandan jelly is irresistibly chewy, while the basil seeds are slippery and fun to try to munch on. If you're more a fan of coconut milk, consider drinks other than their dessert number 1. I've ordered the avocado smoothie with mixed jellies, but it was too incredibly thick and rich for me. They don't water it down one bit - you'll get chunks of avocado in there. Finally, don't forget that this establishment is cash only. read more

I gotta have my BAMBU FIX!! The Dessert here are to die for. I always order #15 with the big red beans It's super yummy, very cold refreshing, and not too sweet. My mom is addicted to this place and comes here every other day! They have several locations and I've tried all their locations, but this is my favorite spot. The way they put the che together doesn't taste like it was smacked together like other places. I hope they continue to keep their "quality" and don't change owners or the way they make their desserts. I gotta have my BAMBU FIX!! read more

My brother and my sister in law love this place. It's basically Nam Vahn ( Laotian dessert ) in a cup with a lot of other sweet items lol It's like a sweet syrup kind of drink with a lot of fruits, tapioca, and etc. They have a lot of different dessert cups to choose from and i have yet to try more than three of them. My favorite is the one with the mangos and green jelly! I would say ask for less ice because when you're trying to mix your drink together it's a bit much. I spilled a bit on my hand because it overflowed a bit lol But still they don't skimp on any of the items included in your desert drink and that's what makes this place worth a visit. read more

This is place is sure tucked away, it took a while to find this place. I am glad we did. We went here due to a friend's suggestion. I have never heard of a Vietnamese che shop before. The che we ordered was very good! It wasn't too sweet, very freshing, and I would totally come back here if we come down to San Jose again! Oh and they only accept cash. read more

I've been here twice and each time i've been so unsatisfied. First, I tried the taro milk tea, which was disgusting. I didn't even finish it. The second time, my mom and I decided to get something refreshing. I ordered their Raspberry Tea & my mom got the Strawberry Special. We stirred those bad boys up and took a sip. YUCK! Pure sugar syrup. How can you enjoy that in 90 degree weather? I'm torn because the place has good reviews, but every time i've had crap drinks. Maybe there are a secret few that are yummy? I don't think I'll be back unless I'm at the grocery store next door. CASH ONLY. read more

I love me some good chè. A Vietnamese dessert brings together an unlikely collection of ingredients including legumes, jellies, tapioca, basil seed, fruits, and coconut milk. If an assortment of yummy in your mouth is your idea for dessert, Bambu is for you. Besides Chè, Bambu also offer incredible tea selection, bold coffee drinks and exotic fruit smoothies and juices. For me, the chè Bambu #1, which included a little bit of everything: fresh coconut juice with longan, basil seed, coconut meat and Pandan Jelly is my favorite there. The entire concoction was topped with shaved ice that kept the chè cool and refreshing from start to finish. This was the first Bambu location I went to. It used to be quieter but now can get super busy, especially with Gen being nerby. Service and taste is still consistent. read more

Why haven't I been here before? After years of boba and tea and smoothies, I can't believe I hadn't tried these Vietnamese dessert drinks they call che before. I always thought it tasted funny with pieces of jelly/beans that looked like veggies in a cup. I was very wrong. For only $3.50 or so you get a cup of amazing flavors and ingrediants. I like the red bean, grass jelly, taro, coconut, and whatever else was floating in there. I'll be back for more! read more

I just LOOOOOVE Bambu!!!! I'm such a sucker for the Avocado Smoothie with Pearls....and Brick? whatever that is... I'm obsessed.... Prices are decent..and they're right by my house!!!! read more

I came here with my cousins last night after eating about four pounds of shrimp and crawfish (by myself). Boba and che after shellfish? It's a Vietnamese thing, I guess. So we get to the place at around 9ish and it was pretty empty. My cousin told me that they are usually packed here, but luckily we were able to go right up to the counter and order. They didn't have any lychee milk tea left! They said that they ran out of all the fruits for the milk tea and that the only milk tea they had available were the non-fruit ones, such as coffee, almond, and taro. Sad life ): I ended up getting the taro milk tea, which was really good. I was surprised at how big the cup was. I definitely got more for the price than I would have at Tapioca Express. My cousins then ordered like ten or twelve different kinds of che. I didn't get anything; my mom makes che every weekend and I get sick of it. It seems that we arrived just in time, too, because as soon as ordered, a horde of fifteen or so people entered the tiny shop and took up literally all the space available. The che came out after five minutes or so and we headed home. I was happily sipping on my taro milk tea, content as can be...at least, until I got home and all the che was being distributed amongst my family members. My dad ended up getting the che bo dam (avocado) and offered me a taste of it. Avocado in che?! Now there was something that I had never heard of before, but I absolutely LOVE avocados (I eat them raw and also make shakes with them), so I had to taste it. I was in heaven after that. I would have taken his entire cup of che from him, but I already had my taro drink plus several pounds of crawfish in me and probably wouldn't have finished it, but DAMN it was good! My only complaints about Bambu are that the place itself is extremely small, the che and the drinks were a tad bit icy, and of course, they ran out of all the fruit milk teas. So, taking that into consideration, I'll give them three stars...for now. Definitely going back for some more che bo dam, though. Maybe bring one of my female Asian friends, you know, because boba and che is the path to an Asian girl's heart...right? Or is this why I don't have a girlfriend? I'm so confused @__@ But Bambu is pretty Bam-tastic if you ask me! read more

I usually judge pearl tea shops based on how I enjoyed their regular milk teas, so that's what I tried here. I've heard a lot of good things about Bambu so I was excited to try it. Unfortunately, the milk tea was a little bland for my taste - I like an equal balance of milk and tea and the one I had seemed to be watered down with milk :( Tapioca Express milk tea is still my #1, sorry. read more

You'll love this place if you love your Vietnamese dessert drinks (che). The price is right and quality is there. Specifically the Pandan Jelly taste fresh, soft and chewy. Yummy! It was about 9PM so it was slow when we go there and the drink came out pretty quick, but within 5 minutes there was a sudden rush of older adults. The atmosphere definitely has a boba shop feel, but when I came it was mostly families and older adults. I got the #2 combination drink and it was amazing. Definitely full of content and wasn't just a whole bunch of sugar water like most places. Only downside is it's CASH ONLY. read more

Great way to get your buzz for the day! I've only had their coffee and tea drinks and get them without tapioca or pudding in them, so I can only rate them on the drinks themselves. I love their regular milk tea and jasmine milk tea. They actually taste like brewed tea with milk rather than the overly-sweetened milk teas I've had at other places that taste like they came out of a can or bottle. They also make a great vanilla latte and although I'm not much of a mocha fan, I love their hazelnut mochas. So far, the only mocha drink I've ever liked! And they use good coffee, not the generic stuff. Gotta find out what beans they use so I can stir up my own at home! Good, friendly service. The only downside is that it's located in a strip mall with several other businesses and a Ranch 99 market, so sometimes parking can be tough, especially on the weekends. read more

Their che desserts are heaven in my mouth! I ordered #4 which includes pandan jelly, grass jelly, mung beans, and red tapioca. The pandan jelly is so yummy and chewy, while the grass jelly is cut in the perfect shape! It makes these easier to be sucked up through the straw. The red tapioca.. Well I have no opinions on that. It's different from your typical tapioca pearls in that it is chewy in the middle and the shape is not perfectly round. Overall my experience was pleasant; I came at 10:30am on a Friday morning and there was no line. It was quiet and the shop smelled REALLY NICE. I wouldn't mind my house smelling like that.. Lol. The lady was also pleasant; no problems with customer service. I would definitely come again. read more

BAMBU - #4 - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - San Jose, California

I love the drink here. especially the part the I can customize my own drink. Ordered #1. BAMBU Special - Coconut, pandan jelly, longan, basil seed (I added taro) coconut pieces are huge with countless longan. I really enjoy it. read more

Good service, decent drinks ...... i live walking distance to this place so i can walk here and not have to worry about the weight i will put on after i drink one of their smoothies ..... avocado with green/red bean FTW! this place also gave me an excuse to walk my dog further than i usually do, good place coz it will satisfy my dog as well as i do (sorry that wasn't related) read more

Delicious! If you are looking for a dessert, I highly recommend this place which will definitely have something that you'll like. Some of the first things I noticed when I got to the shop was the loud music. There are a lot of tables and chairs outside for outdoor seating because the inside of the shop is really small and cramped (maybe 4 high tables for seating of 2, and 3 normal height, round tables for seating of 3-4). And then you notice the ginourmous menu. I have only tried the che that they offer which I will list below with my opinions of them. - Bambu special (Coconut, pandan jelly, longan, basil seed). This is very refreshing dessert that has a good dose of coconut milk. The coconut meat was a large piece which I needed to use my spoon to break into smaller pieces (it was like someone took a spoon and just swirled it inside of a coconut to grab out a peace of the flesh). - Chè trái cây (Lychee, longan, red tapioca, jackfruit, palm seed, pandan jelly, jello, young coconut). This dessert did not have much liquid and was more of a spoon dessert. I was not a fan of the palm seeds which were a bit hard in texture compared to the rest of the dessert. I LOVE the red tapioca, it's soft on the outside but has a crunch on the inside. I also love the pandan jelly which has a little chew to it. - Chè sng sáo ht lu (Grass jelly, red tapioca, pandan jelly, jello, mung bean). This is similar to Chè trái cây but it has more liquid included. I personally would order this instead of the Chè trái cây because I like having some liquid when the dessert is in a cup. The mung bean was not very noticeable to me except when i found little clumps of it. I will definitely be back to order dessert here another time. I want to try the che that only has 2 items listed (like the u nc ct da - Red bean, coconut milk). read more

After almost 2 weeks without my beloved Bambū milk tea, I return with an order of 7 drinks (for the family of course). We ordered 5 black milk teas (2 with coffee jelly and 3 with pearls), a green apple smoothie with green apple jelly, and a #1 special. Total cost was $22.75 and the wait was really short (around 5 minutes). The lady put them all into a tray then into a bag and included all straws in the bigger bag. She forgot about our #1 special but apologized and quickly got us our drink. Overall really quick and nice service. This is definitely my favorite Bambū location. read more

BAMBU - First time trying their hazelnut milk tea with pearls. 7/10 Sticking to black milk tea with coffee jelly. - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - San Jose, California

I'm a loyal customer for many years at this place since it first opened. My orders are pretty large and frequent. I'm disappointed how their service is going down hill and they started charging for extra toppings which was one of the great features I liked about this place when extra toppings was free. To top of my disappointment, they are now charging credit card service fee. WTH? The business/store needs to cover that cost and not put it on the customers. Who carries cash around all the time? They shouldn't short cut in their service and quality if they want to keep their customers. It's too bad! read more

ordered the #1 dessert item super refreshing dessert with coconut juice, pandan jelly, basil seeds. just plain yummy definitely recommend as a desert on a hot day read more

I think Bambu is overrated....yes the drinks looked delicious and colorful, but taste-wise..I've experienced better. I finally got to try it with my two friends (it was all our first times) and I was quite excited about it. It was very filling though and there was alot of jellies and coconut. The first taste was pretty good and after, it got kind of boring and sweet. read more

This place is always crowded and pricey. The service is bad and every time I do decide to go here since it's right next to Ranch 99 (after I grocery shop) my drink takes forever. No matter what I always have to wait. I don't like the fact that they make the drinks in the back. I believe this is why I ended up going to Bar Code since they never have a wait and makes the drink right in front of you. read more

I think this has been my favorite destination for dessert in 2011. I brought my mom, my siblings, my out of town cousins, friends - I find any excuse to come! They serve an assortment of drinks that span from milk teas to what they're really known for: Che! Lately, I've been addicted to the #1 Bambu Special which has chunks of coconuts, basil seeds and pandan jelly soaked in coconut water. You can ask for ice on the side, which is especially helpful if you're taking your order to go! All the che desserts are delicious. There's really no going wrong! read more

Before today, I was NOT a fan of Vietnamese desserts, particularly "che". However, my friend told me that Bambu is known for their che, so I decided to try #18, which had taro, mung bean, and pandan jelly inside. I honestly love it now. For $3.25, you get a very reasonably-sized amount of this particular dessert, topped with shaved ice. The flavors are so delectable, I don't know why I hated it before growing up! It seems to be a pretty popular place, since it started getting more crowded around lunch time. I credit Bambu for making me love che, thereby bringing me one step closer to being more Vietnamese, and the next time I'm at any Bambu shop, I'm going to stop by and order some dessert! read more

One of my favorite places to grab a drink! Everyone needs to try their iced hazelnut mocha with coffee brick jelly! It's addicting!!! I've also had their jasmine milk tea, milk tea, Thai tea, coconut juice and their Vietnamese deserts! I like them all! Service is quick, the ladies that work there are all nice. It's a chill place to hang out and catch up with friends. read more

BAMBU - Iced hazelnut mocha! - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - San Jose, California

Came to the 99 Ranch plaza to see if Happiness Cafe was finally opening its doors during their 2013 renovations (sadly, not yet). Decided to try this place. When I walked in, Asian pop songs were blaring and the tables were filled with teens. It doesn't seem overly inviting and the set up looks like they want customers to grab-n-go. This establishment is cash only. I saw that quite a few other reviewers said this place had a soy option, so I was surprised when the cashier gave me this grouchy, bored look and said "We don't offer soy here." Not sure if she meant that the store was out or not, but it was just not a good surprise. Ended up just buying a jasmine green tea, and it was alright. I later went home and added soy to mine. It's just okay to me. Sorry for hatin', but it just didn't make me want to come back. Don't need to spend my money where people don't seem to care if they got my cash or not. I'll keep sticking to Happiness Cafe, where they have soy and smiles and happy cats. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE VIETNAMESE DESSERTS. Love the coconut milk. Love the small red balls, whatever they are. Love the jelly. AHH! This place has the biggest selection of desserts I've encountered in the Bay Area so far. Sidenote: if ANYONE knows any other places, PLEASE tell me! Every ingredient is fresh and not cheap. They have these super chewy green noodle things that I hear are home made. The desserts aren't overly sweet (which helps assuage my worries that I'll get diabetes from too much dessert). Got the #6 and tried the #10. #6 was all the regular dessert stuff with jackfruit, lychee, and longan. Yummyyyyy. #10 was the regular dessert stuff with grass jelly. So good!! This place, unfortunately, is cash only. I guess it's a good thing, because I was definitely planning on buying 1 to eat at the store, and then another 3 more to go. Shoutout to Peggy T. for finding this place!! read more

OM to da G! Last Monday, a few coworkers and I drove to this shop and they were closed. This would have been my first time here and after finding out it was closed, my friends looked pretty disappointed. I thought "hmm, wonder why. So a few days after that, one of them comes back here and tells me she's picking me up a drink. I Yelp it right away and told her Che #1 seems to be popular so she can get me that. My friend tells me that was exactly what she was getting me. Oh holler! Best healthy drink evarrr! Delicious! I love, love, love it! Pandan jelly, coconut meat, longan and these tiny seedy "frog eggs-looking" (basil seeds) addition and the drink is perfect. Tastes great, refreshing and yummy! When I get home after work, I tell my family that I'm taking everyone there for Spring Break and definitely several times during the summer. Can't wait to try their other drinks. Yay! read more

First time trying che at Bambu was at this location. My bf ordered #1 special and he really liked it, but for me it was too bland. I got #6 che trai cay and it was good. Sweet enough for me. Lately I've been craving for che here, but I haven't had time to stop by. Can't wait to try the other ones. Customer service is great. I got my dessert in no time. And like most Vietnamese places, CASH ONLY. read more

This is a constant new crave of mine. Forget boba, forget froyo... get me some Vietnamese dessert (Che)! If you are new to this style of dessert, go for the combination #2. On the adventurous side, #5, avocado with jelly! Also, try #1 if you want something less creamy. Make sure you mix the ice into the drink before you start! read more

This is a Vietnamese dessert place, attempting to be modern...but who cares - they've got some tasty drinks/desserts here : ) Pros: Fairly priced drinks/desserts Quick line to order If getting to-go, they offer to pack the ice separately Tasty Vietnamese desserts (che) Pretty larger portion for approx $3.25ea Cons: Close at 10pm Parking is a little crazy (in an asian plaza w/busy supermarket next door) Cash only Overly loud music Smokers sit 'outside' but What I order: #10 Hat Luu, Suong Sao & Banh Lot (Red Tapioca, Grass Jelly & Pandan Jelly) What older people like - just in case you want to buy your Mom some tasty Vietnamese dessert (no, I'm not kidding), choose one of the following: #2 Combination & #3 Three Color read more