We always assumed this place was just drinks but I managed to walk by at just the right moment when the electronic menu boards swapped over to a picture of food. I tried out the popcorn chicken bento (spicy) here and it was great. It's about $15 with tax for the spicy version and came with about a cup of popcorn chicken (complete with dried basil and a side of sauce), a scoop of rice and a scoop of cabbage salad. It wasn't a huge portion of food but it was the perfect size for a lighter meal and it was the right amount for me. The staff member asked if I wanted to add any sides, such as an egg, but I declined. My bento took about ten minutes but the chicken is clearly fried to order. The employees here are very friendly and engaging with smiles on their faces so that's much appreciated. I would definitely come back again. I actually like the fast food/to go style set up because honestly, I'm tired of everything being a sit-down place that necessitates tipping. read more

So happy that Bopomofo opened in Irvine! Their drinks are unique and pretty, and the service is very fast. I love taro anything so I got the taro milk, but unfortunately was lacking any taro flavor since I'm pretty sure it was just the plain milk and mashed taro at the bottom. The strawberry corn milk I tried from my friend was good since strawberry and corn are two flavors I like in boba separately, but I'm not sure how we felt about them together. Unique, but maybe too unique for us. Maybe the drinks we ordered just missed the mark this time because the other drinks on the menu sound really good and I'll have to give them a try because I want to come back and give them another chance. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - taro milk and strawberry corn milk - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

Quick grab & go sandos & noms with great teas! Aesthetic & Ambiance: 8/10 very clean and menu is legible and easily presented there's not much space inside so a line sometimes forms outside. Ambiance was quiet during lunch with a lot of to go orders. Service: 7/10 service was okay, we ordered ahead and checked once we got there. I received a text saying my food was ready but wasn't. Then it sat on the counter for a few minutes before I flagged someone down to ask if it was mine. Taiwanese Fried Chicken Sandwich: 7/10 the bun was definitely buttery and a little sweet. The chicken was tender and juicy and the slaw/pickles were a good vinegar cut to the sweetness. Spicy popcorn chicken: 7.5/10 good tender some bits were just bread, and the spice was okay very mild I would say 2/5 on a spicy scale. read more

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This location does only togo orders. The plaza has plenty of tables outside though so you can order and hang out there. Food and drinks came out fast. Got a matcha oolong and Spicy popcorn chicken. Delicious and consistent with all their other locations. read more

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

I tried the blueberry matcha. The matcha was in a jug so I'm not sure how fresh it was. The blueberry was grainy in the drink. I also tried the chicken pancake wrap. It was okay. I have revised my review and understand this is fresh blueberry matcha. I will be back to try the guava matcha!! And the other menu items! read more

The word "bopomofo" refers to the four characters that are essential to learning the Mandarin language. Bopomofo has multiple locations across the Southern California area and this location in Irvine is their first in Orange County. There is no indoor seating but there is lots of outdoor seating and ample parking. They have a variety of offerings including classic drinks, signature drinks, espresso, and matcha. They also have seasonal drinks along with food. For drinks we ordered the jasmine milk tea ($7.75) and the honey roasted oolong milk tea ($7.75) which were both decent. For food we ordered the mapo tofu tots ($13.50) and the spicy popcorn chicken ($12.50). The mapo tofu tots had just enough mala for a kick but it wasn't too spicy. Some of the tots were not covered in the sauce so they were crispier, but the ones that had the sauce were soaked in that flavor. The spicy popcorn chicken also had a good level of spice and the dipping sauce added some sweetness. The drinks were good but I really enjoyed the two food items we ordered. I'd be interested in trying some of their other drinks like their matcha series and lattes. read more

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Bopomofo was so good! It's a small spot next to Handel's, they don't have any tables inside but outdoor seating is available Theres a lot of snack and drink options so anyone with an appetite can find something they like! I ordered the spicy popcorn chicken with dark meat and a cream top jasmine tea The spicy popcorn chicken was AMAZING. So crunchy and meaty. The batter wasn't too thick but perfect ratio compared to the meat The meat was juicy & packed with flavor!! It is quite spicy so order with caution The cream top jasmine tea was great! My bf killed it!! Service was good, the guy working cashier answered all our questions & was super patient and kind Highly recommend to anyone looking for some good boba & snacks! I definitely wanna try the spicy chicken sandwich next time hehe read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Spicy Popcorn Chicken w Dark meat + Cream top jasmine tea - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

I was in the area and decided to get takeout. The chicken sandwich was a little salty and dry. The tots were tots. The popcorn chicken was decent but pieces were bigger than I preferred. Everything was OK. read more

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This place hit the spot with the popcorn chicken and the matcha and the boba. I never knew you could request dark meat or white meat for the popcorn chicken! The portions are generous and it matches the price. I would say though if we could order a half portion, that would be just right. I ate it all but with the boba drink, I was more full than I wanted to be. Service was very nice. No seating inside but the weather in California is almost always nice outside. read more

Bopomofo Cafe was great! What we ordered: -popcorn chicken -two guava matchas (50% and 20%) The ordering process was super smooth; we just used their website and ordered ahead, and by the time we drove over in some ten-odd minutes, it was ready. There's a deal on the guava matchas--- if you buy two, you get a discount. We were both curious about the flavor, so we got it. I liked the flavor, and it wasn't too sweet at 20%. The matcha itself was really good quality, and so next time I would probably order just a regular matcha because the flavor of the tea itself is just gorgeous. We got it without ice because we weren't sure how much they would put in, but next time we would definitely get ice. The popcorn chicken was delicious, and we really enjoyed it! We got the spicy chicken, but it wasn't super spicy, which is great for those who might not have the highest spice tolerance. There's also an option to add more spice for the fuego lovers out there. Overall I would come here again. It's not at all a sit and chill type of place, moreso of a pickup counter situation, but there's seating outside and we wanted to take a walk around the lake anyhow. If you're looking for a study spot, this is not gonna be a good fit, but if you want high quality boba, it's a great spot. read more

Not really sure why anyone shows up here but intrusive thoughts and cravings of their honey walnut shrimp burger brought me to their location in Irvine. Unfortunately, the one and only dish (both food and drink) that has any resemblance to delicious was taken off the menu. TF. I had to pivot and choose something I would mildly want to retry - the mapo tots. To preface, I've tried this years ago with friends warning me how tasteless and bland it is. But the combination sounds amazing so I always have to judge myself. Mapo tofu is supposed to be spicy and have a flavorful gravy. Years ago, it was straight up bland. I'm assuming this was to allow the spice avoidant people to enjoy - which is absolutely stupid. If you're not going to make it spicy, at least making it flavorful - meat gravy or a non spicy doubanjiang. Lucky for me, after reading a review on the Mapo tots from a few days ago claiming an improved recipe, I ordered it. AND ITS NOT BAD. There is actual flavorrrr - which I Know, the bar is low. There's a teenyyy weeny bit of kick but I would definitely crave this occasionally now. I would definitely not avoid it like the plague. There's definitely room for improvement but like - I would order this dish occasionally now because I absolutely love tater tots lol. Now drinks are just absolute shit - generally speaking, they don't do a great job at teas. In their defense, most places in Irvine are quite shit at their teas. I ordered the mango Assam - a seasonal drink at the recommendation of the person taking my order. I didn't mix the drink initially and got a whiff of the Assam tea. That tea was bitter and helllla over extracted astringent 澀 - like the Starbucks of teaaas. Luckily, the mango pureeee in all its sugary goodness definitely covers it up but the astringency still follows through. I assume it's batch made and the tea leaves over sit in the liquid. All in all, drinking liquid sugar as tea is not my vibe as I come from a family of diabetics. Overall though, definitely fits the Irvine vibe. A little expensive for what it is, looks pretty, aesthetics, and not a lot of actual substance. And please keep the shrimp burger as a permanent item; it's the only item actually worth trying here read more

Love how they opened a new location in Irvine! This place is a lot closer when we are visiting so happy we can always stop by when in town! This location is smaller than other locations. There's no indoor seating. Plenty of outdoor seating though. The must gets are the mapo tots and the honey walnut shrimp burgers! They were so delicious like always! The tots are so perfectly crispy with the mapo tofu toppings. The walnut shrimp burger was again flavorful and delicious! They have very unique drinks and this time I tried the blueberry matcha latte and it was really good!! Love trying a new drink here. Service was prompt and friendly! read more

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I'm a fan of Wongfu productions so when a friend suggested we meet here, I enthusiastically agreed to support them this way. It's just a counter - no seating inside, just outside. The menu doesnt have all of the food you can see on the website, but we found some good options. Popcorn chicken was flavorful and juicy. Wish it had more crunch. The creamy green dipping sauce was slightly sweet and added a good balance to the saltiness and other flavors of the chicken. We were intrigued by the mapo tofu tots. The cheese made us pause when we took off the lid - wouldn't have thought to melt cheese on top of mapo tofu, but then again, wouldn't think to serve it on top of tots. The tots did get soggy underneath but the flavors were all there. Slight spicy. Wish it had more tofu. You'll need the fork. The sweet basil ginger lemonade was so pretty! A little sweeter than I expected - would've liked a little more bite from the ginger. The milk tea with Boba was decent. Service was patient and friendly. I'd like to visit another location, as I hear the shrimp sandwich is tasty. Hope to try it soon. read more

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It's more like 4.5 stars! Came back here on 2 different weeks to try their hot foods. PRETTY GOOD! The spicy popcorn chicken has a nice kick, though it had basil in it, I felt like it was just laid on the dish instead of incorporating the basil flavor into the fried chicken if that makes sense. 8/10. hubby enjoyed the mapo tofu tots. The combination is bold and daring, it's adventurous to try this.. I'd rate it 9/10 for the concept and 8/10 for the taste. The honey walnut shrimp burger is nicely cooked. However, I feel the walnut flavor is not as sweet or aromatic as those in Chinese banquets so again the concept is amazing but I'd have to rate this one 8/10 as well. The scallion pancake is nice but I felt the chicken overpowered the scallion pancake a bit so the flavors weren't so balanced. However if you take each component as a single element, it tastes really good by itself. Also, it was just a tad bit oily. Overall the taste and concept is there but it is a bit on the pricier side so I have to drop it down a star. I also tried the strawberry corn drink and man it was AMAZING! It's like a savory drink but cool and sweet? I don't know you have to try it! I also tried the guava Jin xuan. Gotta say not the biggest fan and would prefer plain old Jin xuan more. read more

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I love their seasonal matcha drink offerings! You could tell their quality is top notch. My fiancée got the hojicha and it's just the right amount of roasted taste to it. Their popcorn chicken had two options either white or dark meat, and I got their dark meat option. The popcorn chicken was made to order, fresh, hot and juicy. Service was quick and easy. There is no seating inside but plenty of outdoor seating. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Hojicha and matcha - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

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Bopomofo I really do want to love you because the staff does seem sweet and i love your owner for being a core part of my childhood memory/work ethics. But for some reason, it doesn't hit. Fast ordering, kiosk or at the register, but limited space inside w/ no seating (lots of outdoor seating, parking space within a short walk in the plaza but limited right in front). They offer drinks ($7-8) and food~ they appear to have the bolo bao burger back in stock?? I remember ordering one a while ago but it came with regular buns. Previously I got the corn milk latte and do be aware IT IS REALLY SWEET. So get reduced sugar. I tried to go in to ask them to change the sweetness level, but they said it'd cost another $3 for another shot of coffee and didn't offer to remake it (but the policy is there....) so just order reduced sugar. Not too coffee tasting, does have the corn flavor in the milk. Not sure if adjusting the sweetness affects the corn flavor. I think they specialize in cool drinks but its more of a drink place than distinct coffee/matcha flavor place. I got their spicy popcorn chicken this time and it was made FRESH to order. Which I love and they seasoned it a lot so I had to go haah haah with my mouth when eating so u know it was hot. I think the breading is some sort of millet so it is a little softer. The spice isn't super spicy, you do need to pay more for more sauce/ spice. It was a bit salty but I think its because whatever lovely chef made it was generous with the seasoning this time. It pairs well with the aioli which helps cut througn the flavor and also ended up being perfectly paired with something sweet (like a drink? Wink wink) lol. I do find the oil to cling onto the breading so at the end I did feel a little bloated/heavy and thirsty. Not much basil flavor. Definitely go for the dark meat, it makes it juicy. Portion is decent for the price. The staff is nice, i think there might be some consistency issues. However, they seem to be on a continous improvement scale. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Popcorn chicken - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

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You can order online for pick up or at the counter in person. Their blueberry compote matcha latte was pretty good. Wasn't a fan of their iced latte (didn't taste good to me) nor the B.O.G. (blueberry compote orange green tea) as it was too floral for me. It looked pretty though. Overall, it's very convenient to order online and pick up (it's much quicker that way!) The drinks are very pretty looking though. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Oolong milk tea and matcha blueberry latte - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

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'm a WongFu fan and when I heard Phil opened a boba place it was on my list to try. Unfortunately, I live in NorCal and don't visit SoCal very often and when I do I'm visiting family and have my kids with me. Thus, I've never been able to try it until now that they opened one in Irvine. I've also heard mixed reviews about their boba. Now they have a more extensive drink menu other than their special drinks, which benefits me too. ORDERING - I ordered online on New Year's Eve and my drink was ready in about 10 minutes. FOOD - I love roasted oolong so definitely got that with added boba and 100% (standard) sweetness. ROASTED OOLONG TEA - one of the better roasted oolong teas I've had (and I've had a lot). I will say 100% sweet was too sweet so next time I would get 75% (most places I get 75% except for boba guys and Mr. Sun I get 50% and TP Tea I get 120% haha). The flavor was good though, decent tea flavor and I could tase the roasted oolong tea. The boba was a little mushy but sweet as well. I think the sweetness from the boba also makes the drink more sweet. Overall, would definitely come back especially when I'm in the area and craving roasted oolong. read more

Walking around the Great Park on a nice cool day got me the cravings for some Taiwanese popcorn chicken. I decided to give Bopomofo Cafe since it was about 10 minutes away. I walked in and was helped by a friendly employee, which says a lot given that there was also a self-service kiosk. She said they only had dark meat for the chicken, the best option in my opinion. I can say the popcorn chicken had some kick to it with the spice, which was perfect for my taste palette. There were decently sized pieces filled with the juices of the dark meat. It definitely could use a little more crunch but I was satisfied. The sauce had a light soy sauce taste which blended with the chicken well. The sauce reminded me of a diluted version of the Daybird sauce from Daybird, a chicken sandwich spot in LA. Overall, this was one of the better Taiwanese popcorn chicken spots in Irvine and I am sure to be back, maybe bringing a bowl of rice to further complement the chicken. As someone who used to live in Maryland, this reminded me of my favorite Taiwanese popcorn chicken spot in the DMV area. Nothing like a new place unlocking core memories. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Popcorn chicken (dark meat) - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

I have been to the SGV location so I was very excited to try the new Irvine location. The storefront is small with no seating but there is outdoors seating in the plaza. We ordered the guava xin xuan oolong and the mango assam tea but unfortunately both drinks didn't have much flavor to it. I saw most customers ordered the matcha drinks so maybe that's the drink I need to try next time. We ordered the regular popcorn chicken in white meat and the spicy popcorn chicken in dark meat. Both were well fried and tasty and I prefer dark meat more, it's much juicier. Next time I will ask to have the spicy powder on the side, they put a bit too much so it was overwhelming. We also ordered mini tots which were very reasonable for the price and portion size. I hope they will add more menu items in the future! read more

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Ordered a drink online for pickup at Bopomofo and it was such an easy process. The drink was ready within a few minutes. I ordered the orange wang, which is so yummy cause it tastes like an orange creamsicle. Will be coming back soon cause I want to try some of the drinks from their seasonal menu. Also love how they wrote happy holidays on my cup! read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Orange Wang - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

To me, there are never enough places that serve tea/coffee drinks and bites. This is a store that has both and their drinks looked really good so I got to try some out. I love milk teas specially black milk tea. They suggest Assam Milk Tea and for a refresher to try the Orange Wang which tastes just like a Creamsicle. I personally enjoyed the Orange Wang better which was strange because I love milk teas more than anything. I just think even though I brought the sugar down to 75% it was still so sweet that it almost hurt my teeth. And the drink was not very bold and dense as I usually get elsewhere. But it's still a nice shop with options for drinks and food such so it's always worth a try. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Assam Milk Tea & Orange Wang - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

Paid extra for boba & got no boba in the drink. Haven't been in a while because they're hit or miss for me and not really consistent, especially at the Irvine location. They run a lot of deals, but wished the menu under the deal specified what each of the drinks were. Think this is their worst location and is an unsatisfying experience for how much everything is. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Weekday Deal - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

The drinks were good! We were there on Friday afternoon (Coachella weekend), so it wasn't that busy at all! We didn't have to wait, and the cashier was super sweet when I told her it was our first time there. She gave us all the details about how they don't use powders, artificial ingredients, etc. You can get milk alternatives like oat milk without paying extra, but I just got each drink their signature way. The drinks we got had a very clean and refreshing taste, so I see what the hype is about. I definitely appreciate quality drinks! I got the guava matcha drink, and it was good! The matcha tasted like quality matcha. You need to mix it well. It wasn't too sweet; it was perfect and reminded me of Junbi matcha drinks. I got the coffee milk tea at 50% sweet, and it was good! I think I'll add an extra shot next time, but I was pleasantly surprised because I've ordered coffee drinks at tea places before and was disappointed. However, I would definitely get this coffee milk tea again in the future! My little boy got the Orange Wang with boba, but he likes the more creamy slushy type of drinks. This was a liquid. But, it came with an orange slice on top, and he finished the regular size. The sugar level can be adjusted. I wouldn't wait in a long line, though. There's seating outside but nothing inside. There are several eateries (and Handel's) next door. Overall, I highly recommend and would love to try their other drinks! read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Orange Wang, Coffee Milk Tea, guava matcha - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

I have been here three times so far. The first two times I have ordered their popcorn chicken with dark meat (one time was spicy and the other time was non-spicy). I really like their popcorn chicken and the aioli sauce that it comes with. The meat is juicy and well-seasoned and not dry and hard like some places I have had popcorn chicken at. The third time I got the matcha oolong tea with some tater tots and scallion pancake chicken wrap. I love their scallion pancake chicken wrap. It is a very creative take on some of my favorites like chicken tender with the popcorn chicken seasoning and scallion pancakes in the form of a snack wrap and served with a soy glaze sauce. The cafe is very small. There are no seats inside. You just go in and place your order and wait outside until your order is ready and either take it to go or enjoy the snacks and drinks outside where there are plenty of seats and tables. read more

I'm a big fan of Bopomofo since it first opened in the 626, and I'm so stoked to have one in OC now!! This spot took over omomo's old location so just beware parking can be a little difficult during peak hours as it's in a rather busy plaza. There is no indoor seating, you order at the counter and they give you a pager until it's ready. However, there are plentiful of outdoor seating and tables in the plaza. The menu is a bit limited with the food items, no Hainan chicken tacos or mapo tofu tots which are my fav from this spot. However, the drinks menu looks solid like the other locations. My friend and I decided to try new drinks so we opted for the orange wang and Phoenix juice drink. The Orange wang tasted exactly like an orange creamsicle pop while my drink was refreshing. However, we both agreed we'd stick to the other drinks next time. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Popcorn chicken, orange wang, Phoenix - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

Bopomofo is a cafe specializing in Chinese and Taiwanese flavors, owned by the Wang brothers of Wong Fu fame. The Irvine location is fairly small with no indoor seating, though there are plenty of tables just outside the restaurant. On this visit, I tried both classic and seasonal items like the Taiwanese popcorn chicken, walnut shrimp sandwich, lu rou fan (braised pork bowl), and a scallion pancake wrap. Each dish was excellent. They felt authentic and well-researched but most importantly, well prepared and flavored. I also ordered a few drinks, including the seasonal strawberry matcha latte, which was outstanding. If you're looking for Taiwanese and Chinese inspired snacks and drinks, Bopomofo is definitely worth a visit. read more

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My first time trying Bopomofo was in SD, and when we were in the area, we had to grab it again at the Irvine location. So glad that their drinks at this location is just as good. I love how consistent they are with their drinks. Service was really friendly here as well, and everything came out fairly quick. This time I ordered their Jasmine milk tea, and it was amazing! If you love high quality taste of tea, this place is it. I love the floral taste of jasmine. The boba is perfectly chewy. This spot is definitely on my rotation of boba shops now. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Jasmine milk tea with boba - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

Bopomofo is a popular tea shop that originated in the San Gabriel Valley area and has now expanded to its first OC location in Irvine. They took over Omomo's former spot, and is neighboring with Handel's ice cream. I'm not sure if the location was a great choice, because Omomo abandoned this location and not to mention I came here intentionally and almost got swayed to get ice cream instead next door. The majority of their menu has beverages, but they also have a few food items. I decided to try their Honey Walnut Shrimp Burger with Tots ($18.50) and their Taro Sweet Milk ($6.50) with 75% sweetness. I ordered this drink cause it was later in the evening and I wanted to avoid caffeine. Their indoor space is tight so you have to wait outside. They give you a beeper that will go off when your order was ready. Most days have great weather but I came by on a super windy day and the wait felt really long. The taro drink was surprisingly pretty with this pinkish red hue. Apparently they splashed beet juice on top for aesthetic reasons since they use real taro and it's a duller color. I enjoyed the drink. It was still a tad sweet so I would probably get 50% sweet next time. They have a sign saying they'll remake your drink if you need adjustments but I didn't really want to wait around any longer. As for the burger, I was surprised that the walnut shrimp was a patty. I guess they ground up the shrimp. Interesting take. I wonder if I would prefer whole shrimp in this execution for a better bite. What I liked most was the side of crispy tots that it came with. A tad pricey but I get it cause shrimp is a pricier ingredient. What this place really has going for them is the cuteness of the drinks. Don't get me wrong, I like it... I just don't love it. Irvine has a lot of competition for this business category. I can see a lot of people coming to try it once like me... but not sure how many will come back for subsequent visits. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - business front - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

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The strawberry matcha is seasonal and absolutely amazing. I really think they should keep this drink available year-round , and maybe even add a mango matcha too. Their drinks are just that good. My husband ordered the blueberry matcha. I tried it, and while it wasn't my favorite since I'm not a big fan of blueberry, the flavor is very strong. If you love blueberry, you'll definitely love this drink. Overall, I'd rate my drink a 10/10, and my husband rated his a 10/10 as well. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

Bopomofo Cafe is now open in Irvine and is a welcome addition to the community! They are well known for their creativity and innovation while spotlighting Asian American culture and flavors. This spot is located in a plaza with a good amount of parking spots. Inside, there is no seating but there is a good amount of seating outside the shop. For their menu, they have a great selection of different teas, matchas, signature drinks, and food to choose from. Wifey and I stopped by and got their Popcorn Chicken along with the Hoji-Corn Latte and Strawberry Corn Milk for our drinks. Overall, everything we had was delicious with unique flavor profiles. All of the staff here are very friendly and welcoming. Shoutout to Phil for serving us our order and working hard in the back! Welcome to Irvine, Bopomofo Cafe! read more

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A great spot for quality drinks and unique Asian flavors. I tried the blueberry matcha latte, which was delicious and had a fresh blueberry compote. It was quite sweet, I would recommend getting 50 or 75% sweet. I also tried the orange wang, which was so refreshing and tart. It is a bit on the expensive side, but the ingredients taste fresh and high quality, especially in the fruity drinks. They also don't charge extra for oat milk! Unfortunately they were not serving food when I went, and I really wanted to try the fusion sandwiches. Service was great, it recently opened so they were still training some employees, but our drinks came out fast and they give a buzzer for when the drink is ready, which is convenient as it gets crowded. There's no seating indoors, but the outside plaza has a lot of tables, umbrellas, and benches to sit on. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Blueberry matcha latte - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

Been here twice now and both times have been great! They have unique drinks implementing corn, hojicha, matcha, etc which are cool. I wasn't a huge fan of the hojicorn latte bc it was a little too grainy for my taste but that's probably a personal preference. My fiancee also didnt love it because he doesn't like corn milk lol. I loved the jasmine milk tea with boba though! The popcorn chicken and the sauce that came with it was also really good. They only have outdoor seating and the shop is pretty small. Would love if they could turn on the outdoor heaters where the seating is as it was a bit chilly. The first time I went later at night we had to wait 25 min for our drinks to come out but the second time I went there was no line and the food and drinks came out within 10 min. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - jasmine milk tea, roasted oolong, popcorn chicken - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

A new location for the Bopomofo this one doesn't have any seating indoors, but there are a little patio tables outside that you can eat or drink at I tried the strawberry corn drink and overall I enjoyed it. I don't think it would be universally liked though because it does taste like you're drinking a corn soup a little bit. But overall, I thought it was tasty and cute. I'm excited to try their other caffeinated drinks Service is pretty fast! read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Strawberry corn - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

I have long wanted to try this spot since I grew up watching Wong Fu haha. My boyfriend and I got a few items so here are my food/drink ratings: mapo tots, 6/10 - sounded like such a fire combo but the reason it was just okay for us was because the tots weren't crispy enough (took a bite right away) and I personally felt like the flavor profile needed something to cut through the fat. I really like sichuan/szechuan mapo tofu that's has that mala kick but the seasoning on this was just fine. I think this is a great dish that has lot of potential. Maybe the tots could also be fried for just a little longer or double fried to retain the crispiness. popcorn chicken, 9/10 - can't go wrong with some good ol' popcorn chicken. I loved this. corn hojicha, 6/10 - I think this would be better if the corn flavor was more pronounced. I think it's difficult to successfully mix a corn and hojicha into a latte, because the flavors seem to compete a little. I was hoping for something that tasted like a roasted corn, but I didn't get much corn flavor at all. Another item that has a whole lot of potential, and I would love to come try it again. The service is good/standard and it's in a nice spot because the plaza has a lot of outdoor seating. Hoping to come again soon and try more items on the menu! read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

Inspired by Phil from Wong Fu, I FINALLY got the chance to try Bopomofo!!! At first, I was disappointed to see that the place was very small with no seats inside. But that's okay because it was a beautiful day in Irvine, CA, and there was plenty of table seating right outside the cafe. Worker Kate was so sweet and kind in helping me place my order, which took a little while to come out. We got a buzzer and waited patiently outside until everything was ready. Overall, the food was great! The fried chicken was thick and juicy, the shrimp patty was soft and savory, and the sandwich buns were buttery and soft. I really liked the crunchy tater tots as well, which costed $3 extra in addition to each sandwich. The strawberry corn milk, which I ordered at 25% sweet, was a little strange -- I usually love corn milk, but this one had a weird salty aftertaste that I didn't like. In hindsight, I should've taken advantage of their 100% happiness guarantee and gone back to the counter to have the drink adjusted. My friend said his strawberry matcha was good though, so no complaints there! I'd love to come back to Bopomofo to try some more of their super interesting menu items but, honestly, at the high price point (we spent $55 for 2 meals and 2 drinks), I don't know if I'd come here frequently. read more

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revisited bc i heard they had new seasonal items and i just had to try! we ordered the Vineyard green tea, black sesame latte, triple strawberry matcha, scallion pancake chicken wrap, and popcorn chicken. I was really eager to try the scallion pancake chicken wrap bc it seems like the best of both worlds. and omg it was so delishhhh! there was a sweet soy glaze served on the side but honestly, we didnt need to use it! i preferred the wrap on its own. I also really liked my black sesame latte! it had great, strong black sesame flavor and it wasnt too sweet (i requested half sugar but i may want to decrease it more next time) service was good! the worker very patiently took our order and was very thorough with the customization of our drinks and food. as for the ambiance, we ate our food outside since there is no seating inside the store. it was relatively peaceful but we came at a time where the sun was unfairly beaming down on us :( read more

Bopomofo Cafe - honey walnut shrimp burger, popcorn chicken (spice on the side), mapotots - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California

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Bopomofo just opened last week! This is their 5th location. This little tea shop started in SGV. Small tea location but tea is amazing! No seating indoors but plenty outdoors. Find this next to Handel's ice cream shop, in the same plaza as Ralph's. They offer a great menu of tea, matcha, and unique milks. Tried their taro sweet milk 75% and love that they use real ingredients. The taro sweet milk has taro puree, beet juice for color and lactose free organic whole milk. We also tried the honey roasted oolong milk tea 75% and was surprised on how fragrant and refreshing it was. Drinks take a little long to come out but they provide a buzzer for you to be notified. I will definitely be coming back to try their other drinks and food. read more

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This was a long-awaited opening for OC, and Bopomofo instantly makes a huge splash onto the boba scene. Not having to go all the way to Artesia or San Gabriel will be very welcome. They've had a reputation for their unique flavors and quality, and that is something they absolutely deliver on. The store itself takes over the former Omomo location in sort of poetic move, but surprisingly the space feels a lot smaller, as much of it is taken by the kitchen, so it's really just a stand where you order. The line of course extends outside the store when it gets busy. One thing I would have to note, and it could just be growing pains, is that they do take a while to get your order out even when it's less busy. It took a bit less than what I was quoted, but being told it would take twenty minutes is not exactly something I like to hear when I'm trying to grab a quick drink purposely during off hours. The food menu is also limited to just chicken, which I do hope is more of a factor of a new store rather than its size though I totally understand the trend has been shifting to boba shops just being drink only. The prices are admittedly a bit high even for the raising costs, I was out $10 for a drink which did come as a bit of a shock. I'll definitely be back, but it's definitely not gonna be my regular place. TIP: Strawberry corn is always a classic. read more

Bopomofo Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Irvine, California