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    Bao Bar

    3.6 (163 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

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    Popular place to order
    Gail U.

    One woman operation in Liberty Public Market. I ordered a Chicken salad with peanut sauce and it was fabulous! I'm not a veggie fan but the peanut sauce seemed homemade and exceptionally flavorful with a hint of unexpected subtle sweetness. It was plentiful so ate half there and the rest around 9 pm watching Idol Factory on YouTube with Doc and grandpup. Also ordered a Lychee Peach smoothie which I'd gladly get again. So refreshing more of a tea with ice, not creamy. A hole in the wall stall but functional with amazing food options coming out of here.

    Bbq bao buns, chicken bao, and pork bao
    Shelby S.

    This place is BOMB! I am such a fan of bao and knew I wanted to try this spot when we were walking the Public Market. Hubby and I split our order and were struggling to settle on what we wanted. The super nice staff ended up giving us an extra bao bun with pork because the chef said it was her favorite! I personally loved the barbecue bao bun the best but hubby loved the pork. I added sriracha to each of them for a little kick. So good! Definitely don't skip on this spot.

    Pork bao
    Deirdre M.

    This is one of my favorite stands in Liberty Public Market so I'm surprised at their overall yelp score. I always get pork bao and it's delicious and fresh. Staff is super nice too and I think it's a solid price point. Liberty Station has a lot of parking as long as you're good with walking a little and there's tables to sit and eat everywhere. Def stop by this place!

    Chicken spring rolls
    Nicole Erin B.

    Enjoyed the pork rice bowl and chicken spring rolls at Bao Bar in Liberty Public Market. The pork was moist with a nice flavor. The spring rolls are gluten free with vegan options and the chicken was well spiced. The peanut sauce with the spring rolls was tangy, a bit sweet, and delicious. The spring rolls were burrito sized but were wrapped loosely and a lot of the veggies fell out while eating. I would definitely go back

    Pork Bun
    Tito R.

    Good food at LSPM! Zero wait which was nice. The pork buns were my favorite!! Good little snack.

    Stand sign
    Jolie F.

    Needed a quick bite so popped into liberty station to grab some food at the stands! After walk about decided to get a little pork bun but was talked into Bao which was a couple dollars more. Ok I thought I would give it a try. For six dollars the amount of food and meat was a bit light. Flavors were good but not authentic. Given the size and price, I would probably not stop again, especially as so many choices at the market.

    Pork Buns (2) and Peach Ice Tea
    Ina B.

    The woman working was quick with taking orders and getting orders out. The line was small but I was pretty satisfied with the quality of the food (hot, fresh and DELICIOUS) and the amount of seating. Me and my family went pretty early in the day (near opening) so it was moderately busy but not too loud. This was my first time coming and this WONT be my last. Highly recommend!

    Tofu bao bun
    Curt T.

    Got the tofu bao bun and it didn't have much flavor at all. Mostly just tasted the bao and not much else. Not much tofu in it either. Mostly vegetables. Got the tofu spring roll and honestly the same. Not much tofu in it and mostly just vegetables. The peanut sauce was average at best. Service was mediocre. She didn't talk much except to read back my order. Other than that nothing. Probably wouldn't be back here.

    The best pork buns I've found across LA, OC, and SD for $11!
    Deborah S.

    Holy smokes life changing 2 pork buns for $11. Best pork buns I've had across LA, OC, and SD. Do your taste buds a service and get it! Get it with hoisin sauce and sriracha :)

    Julia K.

    Quick and easy baos and rice plates on the go! This past weekend, my family was in town for a concert and came by the Liberty Public Market, a crowd pleaser for the whole family. There's so many options to choose from here, and this time, we went for the Bao Bar. They had no line and one staff doing the orders, so we tried it out and ordered a couple of teas, pork baos, beef skewers, and bbq pork buns. The baos were the best of the items we got, although a little dry but had great flavor. The bbq buns were as you'd expect but nothing special. The beef plate was also pretty basic, and the beef was a little dry. I loved my peach tea, and my daughter liked her green milk tea, too. The service was friendly and nice and the place looked clean. There's plenty of rice bowl/plate and asian food options here to try out, so it's was nice to try this place, but I'd just go for the baos.

    Bbq pork
    Katherine K.

    Honestly the worst bao buns I've ever had. I tried their BBQ Pork and it was dry and cold and there was almost no filling inside of it. I'm not sure what the point of having different flavors is if there's not enough filling inside for anyone to tell what they're eating. I also decided to try their shumai and, while it was better than the bao bun, it wasn't anything amazing. I definitely needed to add the sriracha on it in order for it to actually be enjoyable.

    Store front
    Juan U.

    Cool little spot in the Liberty Market, I believe they are a slightly newer place so we gave them a try everything was tasty. The beef skewers were a bit dry and fatty as my daughter called them. She loved her green milk tea with boba and my wife liked the peach tea. The young cashier, host and cook was amazing, very friendly, helpful and got things done. Even offered a wet and dry rag to clean the public shared tables that opened up. The pork bun was tasty but the filling was on the short end so recommend the Bao bun as they are jammed with ingredients and like $2 more. Will try their bahn mi sandwich next time.

    Chicken Bao
    Luiza M.

    This bao bun was my favorite thing I got at the public market. The chicken was so packed with flavor, the veggies were so fresh and a great compliment to the seasoned chicken, and the bao was soft and pillowy. Walked right up and it was ready within minutes, a must stop at the public market

    Pork bao $11 for 2

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    6 months ago

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    7 months ago

    I like the food and friendly service. Boba is surprisingly good. The cashier was extremely generous with the food and she was very kind.

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    8 months ago

    Food is good but service is not great she slammed my food down and it seems like everything is just microwaved

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    1 year ago

    Food was good, the service is quick and fast. Their booth is small so you might miss it but so keep your eyes peeled for this place.

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    1 year ago

    Great service from the kind lady working and the food was very delicious. This place needs a higher rating.

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    Tea’s Moment - Boba Point Loma - Matcha tea with/ coconut jelly and black tea with brown sugar

    Tea’s Moment - Boba Point Loma

    4.2(146 reviews)
    1.0 miPoint Loma
    $

    This spot has a very home-y vibe, which I really appreciated. It was just really comfy to hang out…read moreand chat with my friend for a while. I was amazed by the selection of boba. Note that many of the photos in this listing have outdated prices, but I don't think the price hikes are too outrageous. I got a relatively simple Thai iced tea with boba, and it hit the spot. If you hang out here longer, there's lots to look at, and it looks like you can also play video games on a couch? Now, that is something I've never seen at a boba shop before.

    I spent $8 on a 7-11 slurpee type of drink----way too sugary and synthetic tasting. I think another…read moreyelper mentioned that their smoothies tasted like a slurpee. This was the only boba place near by and I came to find a spot to work but the chaotic decor and randomness of birdcages next to a claw machine next to antlers and wooden hands on a shelf made this boba shop look more like a magic shop feeling than a place to grab a drink or a snack. They are across Point Loma High School so I can see how many students would come here to get a "convenient store" style drink. But at my age and what I was looking for this was not great. I was debating on returning to pot pie as a coffee shop spot but wanted to try something new---sadly it was not what I expected. I got the peach smoothie and you can see by the pictures there are no real peaches and I am unsure what the little specks of orange in my drink actually are. The two stars are for the service which was quick and the cafe space. Maybe the milk teas are better but I do not think I'm coming back as there are other places to get a boba fix.

    Photos
    Tea’s Moment - Boba Point Loma - Decorations

    Decorations

    Tea’s Moment - Boba Point Loma
    Tea’s Moment - Boba Point Loma - Bubble waffle

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    Purl Tea - Classic Black Milk Tea

    Purl Tea

    4.2(459 reviews)
    2.0 miLinda Vista
    $$

    This Sharetea is in a tight shopping center where parking can be tricky due to other businesses…read morethat keep this area busy. The workers here are nice and efficient and there is ample seating for those looking to sip and hang. I've been here twice and both times I've visited I've enjoyed my drinks. On my more recent visit I went for their seasonal special that had Taro with Thai Tea and Oreo mixed in. It looked different from the picture, but it was still good nonetheless. Overall, a convenient customizable boba option for those in the area.

    Drink Mango Matcha blended with crema & boba - sad that they got rid of the mini boba, that is the…read moremain reason that I go there. It tasted okay. I forgot to say 50% sweet, so it was sweeter than my liking but still good. The crema is always bomb. Taro Ice blended w/ pudding with crema - this was a new one for us and we really liked it. We also forgot to say 50 percent sweet but this one tasted not too sweet, I think the pudding balanced it out. Price I remember the toal being about $18-19 for both. Service: quick and efficient, not too many customers. We went at night and typically go after eating Buta which is in the same center. Ambiance: clean, spacious. Has a mini claw machine I like to look at and play sometimes. Parking there is parking that is paint green and says it's 30 mins or whatever but they are all like that and just park like regular. There is not really a time limit. I know this because we frequent Buta a lot and definitely stay over the time it says and walk over to ShareTea Location 5265 Linda Vista Rd suite 201, San Diego, CA 92110

    Photos
    Purl Tea - Thai tea ice blend with boba

    Thai tea ice blend with boba

    Purl Tea - Hot Classic Green Pearl Milk Tea

    Hot Classic Green Pearl Milk Tea

    Purl Tea - Wintermelon fresh meowk with boba

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    Wintermelon fresh meowk with boba

    Tea Town - House Coffee with Salted Cheese foam. Taste good!

    Tea Town

    4.5(98 reviews)
    1.9 miLinda Vista
    $$

    We were so glad to stumble upon this boba shop just steps from the trolley that we took exploring…read moreSan Diego. Their menu has a huge selection of teas, milk teas, smoothies, and other drinks, so narrowing it down to just one was definitely the hardest part. We ended up getting Mango, Taro and Ube Smoothies, and all were delicious. They were refreshing and exactly what we needed after spending a hot day walking around the city. In fact, we came back twice. It actually would've been three times if our first visit had worked out. We arrived before the posted closing time, but the employee told us they were already closed. Maybe the hours listed were incorrect, but it was a little confusing. Other than that small hiccup, we had a great experience. The drinks were consistently good, the location was convenient, and we'll definitely stop by again the next time we're in San Diego.

    This place is in a plaza, so there's a big parking lot. You order at a self-service kiosk, and…read morethere are plenty of tables and seating. They also have some board games. It's a good place to sit and talk. It was $16.17 for both drinks. Strawberry Yakult (3.5/5) - I got this with less ice and 75% sweetness. It had a tangy, slightly sour flavor because of the Yakult. The strawberry flavor isn't very strong. Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie (4.5/5) - I liked this one a lot more! The yogurt flavor wasn't too strong, and the strawberry flavor was nice. I liked how there was strawberry purée on the sides of the cup. I got crystal boba in both drinks. It was nice and chewy. I'd recommend this place.

    Photos
    Tea Town - Taro Smoothie | IG @moniquedao

    Taro Smoothie | IG @moniquedao

    Tea Town - Mango Smoothie w/Vanilla Ice Cream | IG @moniquedao

    Mango Smoothie w/Vanilla Ice Cream | IG @moniquedao

    Tea Town - Taro Smoothie & Mango Smoothie w/Ice Cream | IG @moniquedao

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    Taro Smoothie & Mango Smoothie w/Ice Cream | IG @moniquedao

    Gelabong - Combo Special! 1 select drink + 2 mochi donuts for $13. Choose from participating drinks and any 2 mochi donut flavors!

    Gelabong

    4.3(259 reviews)
    2.9 miHillcrest
    $$

    AVOID!! I love…read moresupporting small businesses and really wanted to like this place so I can return and send others, BUT too many issues... 1) Employees aren't familiar nor clear with ingredients, which is problematic for a diabetic 2) Basic jasmine milk tea was just shy of $10 for a large, marketed as 32oz but was quite a bit short. See pic of my 32oz Hydro Flask (she did top it off after explaining that she knew the cups weren't a full 32 ounces -of course I had to question the size first). When I asked about it, the owner seemed to know that their cups are smaller than the advertised amount but because, according to her, that's how it was marketed to them by the supplier, they didn't change it. Again, this is problematic to me. If you know the supplier is short changing you, and my guess is because you went with the cheapest cup (which may also mean inferior plastic for unwitting consumers), why in the world wouldn't you remeasure and advertise it correctly??!!! You've lost my trust in exchange for a quick buck. I'd prefer honesty. 3) Worst offense... within 30 minutes of drinking, I started feeling unwell and getting bloated. Clearly indicates to me that they either didn't disclose some mysterious ingredient or there was a problem with their sanitation somewhere -unfortunately I didn't watch her make it. Prior to this happening and me now stuck on the couch in pain, I was going to give them an extra star for quick service. It's a little shop in a small strip mall, clean enough in the table areas but unsure about the back. I didn't check reviews before walking in because somebody nearby had recommended it to me -a stranger, and I figured how bad can a boba shop be, obviously MY mistake. Gotta check YELP before I go anywhere. Had I read previous reviews, especially the one star recently about using chemicals in the same sink they make drinks from with TAP water, I would have never entered. On top of this, the taste was one of the worst milk teas I've ever had. Tasted like milk powder than real milk. AVOID!!

    Gelato or Boba Ice Tea? Well, the overcast weather sure doesn't call for a brain freeze, and I…read morecould use some thirst quenching. A Thai Milk Tea with 50% sweetness should do the trick. The racks of yummy-lookin' Mochi Donuts was so inviting too but I had to say no because they're not gluten-free, so my restraint was justified. I have been to Boba shops before where the percentage of ice fills close to, if not half the cup. Gelabong took it upon themselves to fill mine with about 25%, maybe even a tad less without me requesting lite ice. This means I have more tea to enjoy without too much dilution. The place looks clean, smells subtly delicious and they have an instagramable white bench in front of a gray leafy wall outside. Lots of drinks to choose from. Dalgona world be one I would try next time.

    Photos
    Gelabong - Taro smoothie with almond milk

    Taro smoothie with almond milk

    Gelabong - I ordered 4 taiyaki -4 favors (custard, red beans, taro & Oreo)!

    I ordered 4 taiyaki -4 favors (custard, red beans, taro & Oreo)!

    Gelabong

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    Slurp Taiyaki & Ramen - Thai Iced Tea and Vanilla Swirl

    Slurp Taiyaki & Ramen

    3.7(39 reviews)
    0.0 miLiberty Station, Loma Portal, Point Loma

    Pleasantly surprised by Slurp. Obviously saw the crab ragoon go viral so had to try when we were in…read moretown. Crab ragoon really good- missing the green onion we always enjoy but overall good and I get why it's viral. The duck sauce is homemade Crab fried rice Get this. Portion is HUGE. Abundance of crab. Amazing with the spicy sauce. The onions in it are terrific Duck noodles Good amount of duck, vinegar was perfect

    SLURP TAIYAKI & RAMEN @ LIBERTY STATION…read more Parking is super easy here, there's a giant lot if you route to Liberty Station, plus tons of free street parking all around. My friends and I came on a Sunday afternoon and had no trouble finding a spot. We came specifically to try the viral crab rangoon roll that's been all over social media, so we had to check out Slurp. I didn't even realize there were two Slurp locations inside Liberty Public Market, but we ended up going to the smaller one: Slurp Teriyaki & Ramen. The staff was really friendly, and we ordered the Royal roll. It was about $14 for six pieces. Honestly, it tasted exactly how you'd imagine a crab rangoon roll, creamy, savory, and super satisfying. I will say, I wish it was a little more fresh and crispy, but it was still really good overall. They definitely did not skimp on the filling, which I loved, and the sauce had great flavor. It was a bit on the thinner side, but still paired well with the roll. One thing I'll note, it's VERY filling. I was full for a while after eating it. The ambiance was great, and Liberty Station has tons of seating, so it's nice to grab food and explore other spots too. Overall, I get the hype. I'd definitely come back and share it with a friend next time.

    Photos
    Slurp Taiyaki & Ramen
    Slurp Taiyaki & Ramen - Salmon Spring Rolls

    Salmon Spring Rolls

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    Bao Bar - bubbletea - Updated September 2026

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