Too expensive. Food and drinks are okay, but wouldn't frequent often for price point. Would usually get the popcorn vegan chicken.

Their boba is delicious! It's not quite as good as their other branches, but its much better than it was when they first opened. I just hope they expand their menu :( read more

Bopomofo Cafe - excited to have a bopomofo in irvine! - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

You know I had to be back when I'm in area! And by chance they had deals on deals. How can you pass on that? 2 shrimp burgers?! Sign me up. They have an online ordering system now too so it was quick and they def had it ready when I got there. Somehow still got 3 drinks for myself again! The tea is strong and even with ice melting you can still taste it. And guava was subtle sweet but make sure you give it a good mix! And they had a promo to get a free Guava Wang if you spent $20 which was fitting cause I'm here for J.Wang. If you've been eyeing to try it now is the time! These deals don't last forever. Till next time! read more

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Bopomofo continues to be great after all these years! Favorite chicken sandwich and popcorn chicken on the market. Also noticed their mapo tofu tots have more impact in flavor compared to the last time I tried them which was really great. *Updated 7/16/25 with issue acknowledged and resolved. read more

Love this place! Don't come just for the drinks all the food is good too! Always worth trying what they have seasonal.

I'm so happy Bopomofo is finally in Irvine! I've only gone to their original location in San Gabriel years ago when they first opened. Definitely order online ahead if you can! The first time I went, I ordered on the spot and it took about 20-25 minutes for both popcorn chicken and a drink. They are still relatively new so I understand they are probably still trying to figure things out. However when I ordered ahead the order was ready before my estimated pickup time. FOOD I've tried both the regular and the spicy popcorn chicken. Both are SO GOOD, I can't decide much one I like more! However I will say I do prefer the basil aioli that comes with the regular popcorn chicken over the chili aioli that comes with the spicy popcorn chicken. I get the dark meat only and the chicken is so tender and juicy. I like how the chicken is not covered with too much batter and the majority of what you are eating is chicken instead of other places whose popcorn chicken is like 70% batter. The portion size is also very decent. One order is enough for two people to share. I ordered both the regular and spicy popcorn chicken for 3 people and we could not finish it. DRINKS I've only tried two drinks so far, the guava matcha and the jasmine milk tea. I really liked the guava matcha. The guava flavor is not too strong that it overpowers the matcha. It is a unique drink that you don't really find at many other boba places. The jasmine milk tea is pretty good, but I do wish the floral flavor and overall flavor of the tea was stronger. TLDR - Popcorn chicken is so good and is a must try! It is definitely one of my favorite popcorn chickens and I'd come here just for it! read more

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Honestly, I'd give this place a solid 3.5 stars--but I'm feeling generous, so let's call it a 4 (you're welcome). The tea was brewed nicely, but let's be real--I wouldn't stand in a line for it. The ambiance is clean and pleasant, and the staff were so friendly they almost made me forget the tea was just...above average. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Oolong milk tea - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

I've been wanting to try their boba but haven't been able to make the drive to SGV. I was so excited to hear they opened up in Irvine. Came here to try their boba milk tea and was slightly disappointed that they don't give a full cup when opt for no ice. I've tried many places in Irvine and whenever requested for no ice, I always get it filled to the top. For $8, I feel cheated. Tea flavor isn't the best in my opinion, so no incentive to come back when there's so many options in Irvine. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Not filled to the top with no ice option - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

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Small Bopomofo location that took over the old Omomo spot. There's a self order kiosk and counter you can order at with a full selection of teas, matcha, and espressos all using lactose-free milk along with some snack items. All seating is outdoors in a common area. Another great drink spot if you can get parking in this lot. Service is friendly and menu is clear and easy to read through. read more

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I ordered the honey walnut shrimp burger and it was unfortunately completely raw and cold on the inside. I reached out via the contact form on their website as well as their Instagram, and received a response within 5 hours. I think it would have been helpful if this location also a phone number listed to alert and warn them earlier in case other customers received similar product within that time. They were able to refund my order fully and sent a gift card, which I will be using in the future to try this item again and update my review accordingly! I appreciate the team's responsiveness and accommodations and look forward to giving a second try. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Shrimp burger - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

I was super excited to see that they had a shrimp burger patty and decided to come during the soft opening to give it a try. It was super convenient to place the order online prior to arriving and they had my order waiting for me when I walked in. I originally opted for the Jin Xuan Oolong milk tea with boba, but felt that the tea flavor was really light. They made me a honey roasted oolong instead and the tea flavor was slightly stronger so I preferred that one. Amazing service! The boba was perfectly sweet and chewy. The main item I came for was the honey walnut shrimp burger. We had recently returned from Japan where I absolutely fell in love with the shrimp burger at Moss so I was looking for somewhere to serve a shrimp patty. The patty itself was crunchy and delicious! If I could eat just the patty, I definitely would. The bread was a bit thick for my taste (lots of bread to patty ratio). Also didn't care for the jalapeños and raw onions which I didn't feel added anything to the burger. It actually took away from Asian flavors I was looking for. Maybe a bit more an acidity in the mayo would eliminate the need for the jalapeños. Overall it was a decent burger and I'd much rather have this than any beef. Can't wait for the grand opening! read more

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I love the choice of having dark meat for the popcorn chicken. Service was ok. They gave our drinks first and forgot to make the chicken so we waited even longer for the chicken. Matcha espresso was good but considering the really long wait, I would go someplace else. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Spicy popcorn chicken - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

I got the Ba-La matcha and it was really good! I liked the guava nectar in the drink, it's so unique and compliments the matcha really well! It's very refreshing! I also got the classic popcorn chicken with dark meat. I was a bit disappointed because the chicken didn't taste crispy. The popcorn chicken was soft and kinda soggy even though the dark meat was tender. Not sure if this was a bad batch or this is how it's supposed to taste. I would come again to try the spicy version with white meat instead to see if it's the same. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Ba-la matcha and popcorn chicken with dark meat - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

This is a small cafe with no indoor seating, but plenty of seating is available outside. As for the drinks, they are delicious! Whether you're in the mood for hojicha, strawberry basil ginger lemonade, or something in between, there is something for you here. Food is also available, and they even have vegan popcorn chicken! Prices are average. Service is good; staff is friendly. When you order, they give you a buzzer that buzzes when your order is ready. Great little cafe! read more

Ordered the brown sugar milk tea with boba. The boba was harder than chewy which is how I anticipate boba to be. The milk tea itself was very sweet and could have gone down an additional level. The place itself is small, no restroom available, kiosk to order but if you need to make modifications you'll have to order with someone. Place was clean and plenty of outside seating. read more

Drink and food is good, portions were not so great considering every item is around $10 already. We got the spicy popcorn chicken, and the scallion pancake wrap with a dou hua latte. The spicy popcorn chicken was great, and the Thai chili aioli paired well with the popcorn chicken! The spiciness level of the spicy popcorn chicken was a mild spice level, and came with a few sprinkles of basil though I wish they gave more. I noticed that the non-spicy version of the popcorn chicken had a different sauce, and I wish they let us choose between the two instead of having to order spicy or not spicy. The scallion pancake wrap was a pancake with a coating of scrambled eggs and basil leaves with a popcorn chicken-like battered chicken strip inside. The strip was fresh like the popcorn chicken however, I wish the wrap had more scallion flavor or something else inside to fill it up. For $9 I was expecting a bit more than just a wrap and chicken (maybe vegetables or some sauce inside)? I felt the wrap paired better with the Thai chili aioli versus the sweet soy glaze sauce that was provided. The dou hua latte was good, and definitely was gingery and came with boba. The taste leaned towards coffee flavor, and had bits of soy tofu jello/pudding. Was good for me, but if you don't like ginger it may be a bit off putting. Overall, the food from Bopomofo cafe was good but I wish they had a more generous portion as the packaging was huge, but the food took up less than half of the space! The service was good, and they had self ordering available as well. Food came out in about ~18-20 minutes and our drink came out much earlier. The inside of the restaurant was just a counter to order, no indoor seating, but there is outdoor seating available just outside. tl;dr: -1 for portion sizing, food, flavor, and freshness is great, and service was good. read more

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IM SO EXCITED THAT BOPOMOFO IS NOW IN IRVINE!! My bf and RSVP'd for the event, which helped a lot. We did show up at 7PM and there was no longer a rsvp line haha. We went to the front to ask about it and we were so glad they honored the rsvp despite there not being a line for it anymore! It was really nice of them to do that. Upon entering, we were met with smiles and a series of "welcome" from staff and I felt so welcomed. They had two cashiers and one self-serve kiosk. The person who took our order was nice and did a great job ensuring our drinks were correct. We were then given a buzzer to let us know when our order was ready. There is no space to wait inside, however there are plenty of seats outside to sit and wait. I really like that there's a buzzer bc then I'm not paranoid about missing my order being called out. They also do come out and call you out by name as well if you miss the buzzer! While waiting I did notice the line move relatively quick so there's that! And we also got to meet Phil as well!! Loved him from Wong fu days so we were def starstruck getting to meet him in person. He's such a humble person. Wish we could've gotten a pic with him but it was busy so he was running in and out. Drinks were fantastic. I LOVE the strawberry corn milk and I'm glad that the quality here is just as good as other locations. It's heaven in a cup. If you're a big fan of corn, you'll most definitely love this. My bf got the brown sugar pudding milk tea. The pudding added an extra element of flavor and texture to the already classic combo of brown sugar and milk tea. He's particular about his milk tea, but he said this is one of the best he's had! Already can't wait to be back. Now that it's just a quick drive, we're gonna be here weekly, possibly more than once a week since we wanna get our fill before moving out of Irvine in a couple months lol. Hopefully as they expand we can see a new location soon (perhaps in Chino/Chino Hills ) read more

I always order the guava matcha when I come but I do hope to branch out to try other drinks next time. Philip was there when I was ordering and when I picked up - he's super nice! You can either order at the counter or on their iPad in the wall. They will also offer to remake your drink should it not be to your liking. Be warned that it can be a long wait. I waited 30 minutes for two drinks and I definitely was not expecting that because it didn't look super busy (but it was also probably online orders that were backing them up). I'm personally not the kind of person that thinks drinks are ever worth that much of a wait, but if you LOVE boba then you might be okay with it. They do also seem to run out of ingredients so you may not be able to try new drinks or get your favorite if they're run out towards the end of the day :( read more

Stumbled across the Irvine bopomofo on my way to Hui Lau Shan so I decided to try some of their popcorn chicken. I got the spicy breast meat option and it was SO good. The chicken tasted very fresh and it was perfectly seasoned. I also think the price matches the portion. They didn't skimp out at all. You could easily share it between 2/3 people. The store itself is pretty small but there outdoor seating. Due to the smaller sized store I overheard that they have fewer food options or that food options the longer to make, so plan ahead! read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Spicy Popcorn Chicken - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

Everything I have gotten here has exceeded my expectations. The bala matcha, the hojicha latte, and the green tea matcha latte were all delish. You can taste the quality and although pricey, you do pay for what you get. The cashiers give exceptional service and recommendations so just ask them what you should get because they know what's up. The popcorn chicken was good as well as the shrimp burger. If you are lucky, you will run into the owner Phil, who is so extremely kind. I forgot my wallet when I went back inside to ask if they forgot to put tater tots in my order and when they told me I just ordered the sandwich by itself, Phil told me the tater tots were on the house and gave them to me for free. My kids were very happy I went back to the car with tater tots so that was very much appreciated. I wish this cafe continued success. Thank you for opening up a bopo in Irvine !!!!!! read more

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I got the taro sweet milk with reduced sugar. The drink is definitely on the sweeter side but I liked it! There is a good amount of taro paste on the bottom and the taro flavor is good. The honey roasted oolong tea though was so good!! It was fragrant and refreshing and I definitely want to get that next time. Overall, the drinks here are really solid however the prices are a bit high. I heard their chicken is good so want to try that next time! The store itself is really small so the line can look really long from the outside, however there is one cashier and one self-order kiosk inside that moves pretty efficiently. read more

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Came when there was no line (phew). Tried the hoji-corn latte because I love hojicha and I remember liking their strawberry corn milk from one of their other locations. Unfortunately the drink was disappointing. 25% sweet was the right amount of sweetness but I couldn't really taste much of the corn juice so it was just like a grainy hojicha drink with very little milk (I like my tea drinks for tea forward so don't kind this). No issues with the boba it was nice and chewy. There are other drinks on the menu I'm interested in trying so I'd give this place another shot. read more

Alright first things first, the popcorn chicken is amazing. It's juicy, tender, and flavorful. Nothing more to say there. The sauce complements the chicken well for an overall great filling snack. They do offer a spicy aioli for an extra charge too. If you're a fan of spice, I would highly recommend the spicy popcorn chicken. Okay for the drinks, there are some good ones and some that I felt fell short of what I expected. Starting with the strawberry corn milk and taro sweet milk, I would say that the flavor in these drinks are perfect! It's sweet, creamy, and refreshing! Each sip had me finishing the drink before I even left the plaza. For $6.50, it's definitely a bit pricey but it was worth it! Now for the hojicha corn latte and brown sugar pudding milk tea, I felt that these drinks lacked flavor, consistency, and sweetness. I would identify the sweetness and flavor being the most lackluster. You should be able to adjust these levels when you order though. The cafe is very small with no seating inside at all, it's just for ordering. Most of the seating will be outside the cafe. The service here was good as well! Everyone was very friendly and were able to answer any questions that I had. The time it takes to receive your order does take awhile at least 10-15 minutes depending on your order. It also gets quite busy during peak times. There is plenty of parking, but the plaza gets busy! Overall, I had a great few experiences visiting Bopomofo Cafe! I enjoyed most of their items and excited to return and try more! read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Popcorn chicken, strawberry corn milk, and brown sugar pudding milk tea - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

I wanted to like this place but unfortunately was disappointed in every way. The food and drinks are very overpriced for what it is. I got the corn hojicha latte, Ba-la matcha, spicy popcorn chicken, and walnut shrimp burger, which all came out to $52. It took about 25 minutes to get our food, which was surprising considering there was no wait or line. The drinks are good and they have some unique flavors that I think are worth trying. They got my order wrong but were willing to remake my drink. The food however is very overpriced ($12 for popcorn chicken) and the burger was the most disappointing for nearly $20. I would skip out on getting food here, and make it a drinks only place. read more

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i come here from time to time and it's been sort of hit or miss. parking is usually pretty easy though since it's a big lot. you can order on a kiosk here Yay! popcorn chicken and a drink runs you $21 which is... Quite expensive. but the popcorn chicken itself is great! i like that you can pick between breast meat and thigh meat, but we always get thigh meat since it's juicier. the basil aioli it comes with is phenomenal and is what sets it apart from other popcorn chickens tbh. they did change their containers though and i can't tell if they give less or what (it isn't That much) the bala matcha (guava) is awesome and i should've never strayed from it LOL. i always get 75% sweet and that's been pretty good for me but would consider maybe even 50%! very smooth and i feel like you can taste both the guava and matcha pretty well black sesame matcha though was a little disappointing. it felt much more watered down than the guava matcha, like someone used too much water when whisking or mixing the matcha ? if the guava is an 8/10 this was like a 5 or a 6. love that oat milk doesn't cost extra but also love that their default is lactose-free milk! even with regular ice it doesn't fill up the cup like crazy, so ice levels are fine with me too. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - popcorn chicken and black sesame matcha - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

I was a bit disappointed in their milk tea, very diluted and lacking in flavor. Staff were nice when we placed the order as they have a staff person managing the pick up area. Ambiance is casual and very small footprint as there are no seatings or tables. We did not get a receipt via email as they promised until the next day so there's definitely an opportunity to do better in that since I did not have a receipt to pick up my drink. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Milk tea - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

I came here during their soft opening. I ordered a taro milk tea and their popcorn chicken. The service was great, and the tea was pretty good. It look like there was a scoop of mashed taro in the drink instead of a powdered mix like some other places use. The popcorn chicken was pretty good. It cost about $20 total for the drink and chicken. There's no seating inside but there is a decent amount of seats outside. read more

Came here with my girlfriend who wanted to try this new drink spot! First off, customer service is awesome! They were very communicative letting us know that there would be around a 20 minute wait for our drinks given they were busy and backed up. They give you pagers so you can wait anywhere and still be notified for your order. We ended up ordering the BOG and my girlfriend got the Jasmine Milk Tea with Boba. I was skeptical and the workers let me know fully if I wasn't satisfied to let them know and they would help me out by switching my order. I say this with the fact they are very nice and considerate but I really hope people don't take advantage of this. Our drinks came out and the BOG is a really refreshing drink. The presentation is amazing for both drinks and it is a really nice light refreshing drink to enjoy. My girlfriend loves the Jasmine Milk Tea and the boba is a good chewy texture, nothing too special but good! Presentation was on point for this drink especially! Overall definitely a place to come and try! They have a lot of different drinks and even food to try! read more

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I've known about bopomofo ever since they started out in San Gabriel, but never made my way over there since it was pretty out of the way for me. This location just opened up, so I thought there would be a really long line, but I decided to scope it out since I was passing by. I went around 7pm and did not have to wait at all. The inside of this place is pretty small with no seating, but there are places outside to sit. You are able to order from a tablet or from a person at the register. I ordered a hojicha latte per my friend's recommendations and also a jin xuan oolong milk tea. I was very happy with both my drinks. I don't like my drinks that sweet, though, so next time I'll be adjusting it to be less sweet. Overall, the tea quality here is really good and I can't wait to try more drinks and try some food items next time. Also, I saw Phil there, but he seemed kinda busy, so I didn't say hi. So if you're reading this, Hi Phil! :D read more

I have been a regular of Bopomofo for a couple of years and was excited when they opened the Irvine location. This spot has a limited menu and smaller space compared to the other locations, so I consider it an "airport version" of the cafe. I will be honest and say the service initially left a lot to be desired. For example, one time I ordered a Watermelon Oat Milk and they had forgotten the oat milk (how?). I am happy to say that it seems like they have a new manager or have just figured it out, as the service has improved dramatically over the last couple of months. The kitchen is really small, so if a group comes in at the same time as you, your food may be delayed. That being said, the items they do have on their menu are the same quality as their other locations, which I appreciate. Overall, I would recommend this spot as long as you aren't in a definite time crunch. read more

As a long time fan of Wong fu was so excited that they opened a bopomofo in Irvine. The drinks were good and I usually would give them the benefit of doubt as they are still in soft opening. But I would say they need to have better training. We waited for a total of 20 minutes before I mentioned anything to the cashier that we haven't received our drinks. She then looks at the drinks on the counter and tells us that these are our drinks which have been left there for 10 minutes without calling our name. I also understand that drinks without ice wouldn't be filled to the top but there was a difference between the two drinks that were both without ice, that I think they need to have a standard amount. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

They offer matcha now! : ) It's delicious. I also love their pear drink, as well! I recommend trying it if you get the chance. The shrimp walnut burger can be hit or miss, but if you're feeling like fried foods, it's worth a shot! read more

We really liked bopomofo! ESP the chicken honestly it was yummy and the sauce was so good. Drink was good , would come back if in the area! read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

Service was super friendly and helpful - the menu was thoroughly explained to a customer before me so I was able to make a drink decision based off of that. The blueberry matcha I ordered was delicious! I regret not getting a larger size. The popcorn chicken, though, was definitely a miss. While crunchy, it was over-cooked, leaving it chewy, with a stringy texture. The sauce it came with was great, though, but it wasn't enough to mask the sad popcorn chicken. I'm hoping there's more on the menu to explore! read more

I came during soft opening (the day before grand opening) and had a negative experience. It's not even about the long wait time (the employee had told me one drink would take up to 30 minutes to make but given they were in soft opening phase, I understood). But I found the employees to be really inadequately trained. They were slow/confused and consistently getting everyone's orders wrong, which I witnessed while waiting for my order. THEN they gave my order away to another customer and when I asked, the worker went outside and took the food from another customer and gave it back to me?!?! Instead of making me a new one? Anyways, the popcorn chicken is pretty good but way too spicy. They should offer different spice levels (or maybe they do and the workers just don't know to mention). The guava matcha tastes EXACTLY like the one at junbi..so identical to the point I think they likely use the same suppliers. But I wouldn't say the matcha is that special. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Spicy popcorn chicken, guava matcha - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

First time returning since the closure of Omomo :o This shop is much smaller, and there isn't much room to queue up inside. It was bustling when we came midday, and the store was crowded with people trying to pick up their orders, wait for their orders; etc. We ended up trying the spicy popcorn chicken (you can choose between light or dark meat) as well as our own drinks (I got the strawberry basil ginger lemonade). What a treat! I like that their chicken was little bite fulls of spice, while the lemonade was nice and refreshing. The perfect summer drink, and easy to enjoy with plenty of seating and choices nearby. read more

They brought back the shrimp burger. All is well now. Thank you. Not a fan of the drinks, so I get their pure oolong tea with no sweetener. Now, I love dark roasted teas but their oolong is waaaaay over extracted on its own. Will still come for the food and friendly staff! read more

The matcha is okay. For the few times I visited I avoided the matcha because I am always so picky with my matchas. And exactly that's the reason why I regret getting the matcha here just recently, it was very bitter despite the fact that the sweetness was at 75% (usually I go with 50% sweetness but since it was my first time I went with 75%). The main problem is not the matcha, I assume it's the way they are making their matcha. The water used to whisk/froth the matcha is too hot therefore it creates that bitter taste to the matcha. Other than the bitter taste, the matcha doesn't seem that ceremonial to me at all as it is not a vibrant green color. It has this yellowish tint to it, which is oxidized. I am not sure if i'd like to try the matcha again but any of the other drinks I think it is good for sure. Service is very nice tho !! Everytime I have come here the staffs are always welcoming. read more

Had the scallion pancake chicken wrap last night at Irvine! It was really really good! Crunchy chicken inside of a soft wrap, perfect portion! Service was great! Price was reasonable. The sauces were tasty! Waiting to go back again! read more

Bopomofo is such a solid place! I always get the Jin Xuan Oolong milk tea and it tastes great everytime. You can really taste the quality of the tea. I also like the texture of the boba pearls. Very soft! Other boba shops tend to have hard boba but not this place! I also tried the spicy popcorn chicken for the first time here. The spice level and crispiness was good but it was a bit salty. read more