Yau-Ru C.

3.5 stars. I really hoped for a 5-star Taiwanese food experience here after seeing it featured on a YouTube show. But, I think some of the food looked better than they tasted. The classic popcorn chicken was the right texture and came out nice and piping hot. But it needed more salt & pepper seasoning...the chicken itself was juicy but bland. The scallion pancake wrapped chicken was ok. The scallion pancake itself had zero flavor and quite greasy...so when eaten together with the chicken steak, it didn't do much to complement the flavor profile. Ok on nori fish sandwich...nothing wrong with it, just not memorable. Don't get Assam milk tea with 50% sugar because it will taste like plain water with tea coloring. I've gotten milk tea at 30% sugar at OMOMO and the fragrant tea flavor stood out even with reduced sugar, quite nice. The reduced sugar option at Bopomofo is not a good choice...should just get 100% sugar because it will at least taste sweet. Service is okay. There's no inside seating so gotta grab a table outside or take food home. Bopomodo has a good menu of food and drinks, but someone really needs to take time to taste test the flavors because everything tasted under-seasoned.

Chloe H.

I absolutely love the BA-LA Matcha from Bopomofo! It's everything I look for in a matcha: great quality, reasonably priced, a natural guava flavor and no additional charge for oat milk, unlike some other matcha spots. Bopomofo is a standout beverage spot for me because of how kind the staff and especially the owners are! One time, I was ordering with my mom and telling the owners how much I love their matcha. To my surprise, they gave me a discount just because! It was such a kind gesture, and I always love stopping by to get my matcha. Bopomofo is also super clean and takes care to prevent cross-contamination between its different dairy options, which is really nice to see. All of their drinks are made fresh, and the staff is always willing to make adjustments to your order as needed. I never have to wait too long for my drink, which is another plus. I'd highly recommend Bopomofo if you're looking for a high-quality matcha with a great price point!

Andy T.

Bopomofo was something that I tried years ago at the San Gabriel location and didn't end up enjoying their drinks. After trying it again at this location, I could say it was a much better experience. The store itself is located in a large plaza with other businesses. There are lots of parking spaces but it was busy when I went around 6:30 pm. The store doesn't have any seating inside but there are some tables out in front. There's a tablet in the corner for ordering and paying. American Express is accepted here. Honey Walnut Shrimp Burger: This was my favorite item from the visit. They got the flavor down to what you'd expect and makes a good asian fusion dish. Pancake Scallion Pancake Chicken Wrap: Another asian fusion dish that was interesting on paper. I felt it was an okay flavor, especially with the sauce. It was a good first try but not something that I'd go out of the way for again. Fish Burger: Not something that really unique. Flavors tasted very similar to a filet o fish. Hojicha Latte: Unlike other ones that I've tried, the hojicha flavor was very vibrant and didn't get lost in the milk.

Angela N.

Pretty good boba spot that does focus on being more tea forward. I like the variety they provide and they do a decent job being original and different from other groups. The popcorn chicken was also tasty and well battered! I would like to come again to try more teas and snacks :)

Hugh T.

Bopomofo Cafe is finally in Irvine, so I had to try the famous Wong Fu cafe! It's a small shop, but the space does the job. It's located in the Alton Plaza, which has plenty of parking, so no worries there. We walked in and were greeted right away. The cashier was super nice and recommended a couple of things for us to try. What we got: Spicy Popcorn Chicken - 8/10 I've been looking for a good popcorn chicken spot outside of Tastea, and this wasn't bad! Lots of spicy seasoning on top, and the aioli it comes with pairs really well. Watermelon Oat Milk - 6/10 Nothing super special for a seasonal drink. It pretty much tastes like a creamy watermelon drink haha! Not bad, but probably wouldn't get it again. Lychee Pear Blossom - 9/10 Big fan of this one! I got it a little less sweet, and it was delicious. Just the perfect blend of lychee and pear without being overly sweet. Highly recommend this one! Overall, glad I finally got to try Bopomofo and would definitely come back for the Lychee Pear Blossom!

Emily K.

I usually go to the Artesia location but I tried out the Irvine location for the first time! This location is to-go ONLY-- if anyone was looking for indoor seating. The artesia location has indoor seating though :) There is a lunch combo deal right now with regular/spicy popcorn chicken and your choice of drink!! Definitely a good portion for a single person having lunch alone. The service was quite slow (maybe abt 15 min standing) but the food was good! I chose dark meat (there's also white meat), and chose spicy which was not too spicy but did have a nice kick. I think the lunch combo is worth it-- if you're looking to grab and go some milk tea and popcorn chicken :)

Amber N.

Decided to come here because it was on the way. I've always wanted to try this place because I seen it all over IG/Tiktok and I've been a long time fan of Wongfu Productions. The store is small. There's no chairs or tables inside. You pretty much order and go. I believe there was outside seating. They have a sign on the right with all the celebrities they collaborated with. You can order on the kiosk that's on the side or the cashier. I ordered the regular size Ba La Matcha which is the Guava Matcha ($7.65) I noticed that their menu is more popular with their food and snack options. The drink came out quick. It was good at first... You can definitely taste the guava but later, it started tasting watered down. I didn't even taste the matcha at all. I ended up having to throw away with a quarter of the drink left. I hope to try their other dishes and drinks next time. But for now it's 3/5 until otherwise.

Kathy S.

We've been here a few times and every single time feel very unsatisfied. We love bopomofo- Cerritos and would rather drive 45 minutes for better quality food and drinks. The wait for our order is always more than 20 minutes- not sure why when there's only a few orders ahead of us. The drinks are light and underwhelming. You don't really taste the tea in milk tea. I do love the lactose free milk and nondairy milk options! The food is expensive and portion doesn't justify the price especially when quality isn't there. Walnut shrimp sandwich didn't taste as fresh and there seems to be more fillers. Fried chicken scallops pancake wrap just didn't do it for us. I would have preferred the chicken sandwich with pineapple buns, but that's not on the menu. The braised pork rice was good but a bit too pungent of Star anise and bay leaf. The store is quite small and only enough for an ordering counter and 2 kiosks. Service, interaction with staff was minimal.

Julie S.

I decided to stop by this cafe to grab a small meal, which I think is perfect for those who don't want to eat something so heavy. This place is ran by mainly ordering through the screen inside and waiting to pick up afterwards. I waited about 10 ish minutes or so. I ordered the honey walnut shrimp burger and black sesame matcha latte. I was excited about the burger because I don't usually see people include honey walnut shrimp inside. It was super crunchy, however, I do wish I got to taste more of the walnut shrimp. If you're a huge fan of black sesame then I would definitely order the drink because I think its flavor overpowers the matcha.

Dom N.

I've loved bopomofo for years! I think the Irvine location Isnt as good at the Artesia location in terms of drinks and food but it still holds up amazing! Drinks are very unique and the food is very yummy. This location is really small, theres no indoor seating which is sad but the service is fast and friendly!

Daph H.

I've been wanting to try Bopomofo's nori fish sandwich ever since I read the rave in the LA Times. It did not disappoint! It was a like a fancy version of McDonald's Filet-o-Fish, with a piece of fish at least twice the size. It came on a brioche bun (way better than McD's), a healthy dose of tartar sauce, red onion and cheddar. I added a side of tater tots for $3 more, which I shared. It was the perfect-sized lunch! Our order was over $20, so I was able to add on the Guava Wang for free, It was just the right amount of sweetness and a nice treat! I ordered online, and my order was ready on time. Service was friendly too. One of these days, I'm coming back for those maps tots!

Leonard K.

TLDR Pretty good milk tea with fun recipes. The seasonal sweet much better than the standard menu goods. Everything seems to be made in house but very little seems made fresh aside from espresso. Also expect service to be centered on online orders. Bopomofo is a simple shop with a visible kitchen in the back and drink bar in the front. Ordering is best done online or on the self service tablet as it seems the barista doubles as cashier. Most of the staff I noticed was in the back hustling and bustling. I did notice several online orders were fulfilled before my order was made, and I was served well before 2 parties that ordered before me with the cashier. The more digital you go, the more priority it seems. Service 5/10 Black sesame matcha latte Strong matcha flavor comes through with a decently smooth texture though it's a bit grainy at the bottom (and not from the black sesame, definitely a difference). Not as creamy as I would have liked either. 6/10 Black sesame cold brew oat latte This was fantastic. Tasted exactly like black sesame soup. Not too sweet, very nutty, and a great balance of grit and smoothness. Didn't know I'd like this dessert as a drink or like it cold; color me impressed! This one is a winner winner for me 10/10 Drinks vary in quality. Would be curious to come back to try food. Looks good on the menu.

Mike L.

Having been a fan of Wong Fu Productions ever since their second video (my ex was friends with one of the guys in it), I had been wanting to check out Bopomofo for the longest time. Sadly, the few trips I made down to SoCal never brought me close to any of their locations, but the stars finally aligned here in Irvine. And I have to say - even though it took far longer than I ever would've liked, it was worth the wait! Sort of, considering how it still took me a couple of trips down here before I could finally make it happen...ha. Although this Bopomofo is notably smaller than how the others look in photos, it doesn't take away from the fact that this place is pretty awesome. Despite how their modest size dictates why they have more of a takeout set-up, there's still plenty of seating right in front. More importantly, though, the menu still has all of the same innovative and enticing food and drink options, like their Mapo Tots, Honey Walnut Shrimp Burger, Black Sesame Matcha Latte, and Ba-La Matcha. In fact, if anything, the menu actually had more than we expected to find, as we saw a couple of things listed that only seem to be offered here! -- BLACK SESAME MATCHA LATTE (75% sweet) - Matcha Latte with Black Sesame Puree...$7.25 This was great! Macha lattes have become one of my default orders and I love black sesame, so this pairing was perfect for me. The slight bit of nuttiness worked really well with the matcha. I do think 50% sweet might have been the way to go, but this wasn't bad as is. -- BA-LA (GUAVA) MATCHA (50% Sweet) - Guava Nectar, Matcha...$6.75 The second drink that caught our collective eye - we both love guava, so it wasn't a hard sell to try this one. Loved how well the fruitiness of the guava balanced the matcha, but my gf thought 50% was a little too sweet (FWIW, I thought it was perfect). -- BA-LA (GUAVA) MATCHA (25% sweet) with Taro added (+$0.75)...$6.75 We got this one only 25% sweet and we both agreed it was a little too light. Also, we both liked the taro, though I still prefer my drinks without toppings. -- TRIPLE STRAWERRY MATCHA LATTE (50% sweet) - Real Strawberry Puree, Strawberry Cold Foam, and Premium Matcha...$7.25 Not as intriguing as their other drinks, but I wanted to compare this to the Ba-La Matcha. While this wasn't too shabby (loved the strawberry flavor in this), I do think the Ba-La was better and just not as common. -- SCALLION PANCAKE CHICKEN WRAP - Salt & Pepper Chicken Tender, Scrambled Egg, and Thai Basil Wrapped in a Homemade Scallion Pancake with Sweet Soy Glaze...$9 We got this as a snack, but it was so filling! The chicken tender was surprisingly moist, the pancake was crisp and just the right thickness, and the glaze wasn't cloying, like we had feared. -- MAPO TOTS - Tater Tots topped with Hearty Mapo Tofu, Ground Pork, and Cheese...$13.75 I was most excited to try this and it didn't disappoint! The tots were as crispy as I could've reasonably hoped for, the mapo tofu and ground pork were super flavorful, and the cheese added a nice richness. SO GOOD! -- HONEY WALNUT SHRIMP BURGER - House-made Shrimp Patty, Honey-Wasabi-Yuzu Sauce, Candied Walnuts, Pickled Jalapenos, Red Onion, and Shredded Romaine on a Kings Hawaii Bun...$18.50 Along with the tots, this was the other item I was dying to try. And just like with the tots, this delivered! The shrimp patty was crispy and juicy and I loved how well the sauce, walnuts, and jalapenos complemented each other. I just wish it had the bolo bun! -- SPICY TAIWANESE FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH - Taiwanese Salt & Pepper Chicken Breast Filet, Napa Cabbage Slaw, Thai Basil Aioli, and Chinese Pickled Cucumbers on a Buttery Nini Bakery "Bolo" Bun...$17 Pretty solid, though, I thought both the shrimp burger and chicken wrap were better. For me, the highlight was the bun - super soft and I loved the bolo crust on top. While I enjoyed the chicken filet and all of the toppings, I just found the other two to be a bit more flavorful. As far as service goes, it was just as good as the food and drinks. Each time we've been here, the workers have always been on top of everything and I love how they all seem to be so genuinely warm and friendly. Also, even though it can take a while for food orders to come out, it's nice that their buzzers reach will reach you wherever you are in the complex (we'll usually do some shopping at the Ralph's or wander into The Game Chest while we wait). Between how much we've enjoyed the majority of the food and drinks we've tried and how great the service has been, Bopomofo has quickly become my favorite milk tea shop I've tried so far in OC. Yes, their prices are a little higher than other places out there, but I love the fact that they use real fruits and ingredients instead of powders or anything artificial. For that reason alone, and also the tots and shrimp sandwich, I'll definitely be back plenty more in the future! FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded up.