Long overdue review since I've seen my NorCal and visiting SoCal oomfs post about Brian Black Tea and thanking Brian for his service. This is the only singular franchise location in the United States (at least as I'm writing this and has been like this for awhile), which is insane to me, considering that it was quite hyped back then and remains a favorite to many. Hopefully one day, they'll be more locations, but it's literally been years. In that case, I'll have visiting SoCal friends with me try. Simple and casual appearance. Love the wood accent on the counters and tables, along with the green walls and descriptions of the tea. There's a bit of it that reminds of what the old XFT location looks like from the RH location, but only just a little bit. You can order ahead for pick up and they're quite efficient. The only times there was even a semblance of a fisted wait, at least when I've gone, was due to orders of like 10-30 drinks for catering or an office boba run. Solid tea that's steeped really well. If you adjust for much lower sugar, you can enjoy the quality much better. I feel like with the influx of the boba wars (at least in SoCal), many of the Taiwanese franchises (Guiji, Chayan, UG, etc.) just don't have enough of a strong flavor to compete with their Chinese competitors, but Brian Black Tea, I think would be a strong contender if they were drafted in the SoCal boba wars. I've enjoyed all of their milk teas, but my favorite has always been the Era Milk Tea with the slight coffee taste to it and the Retro Milk Tea with the subtle roasted flavor and hint of cocoa to it. I usually get 25% sweet and it's perfect. NorCal must when I visit. read more

Brian Black Tea - Drink - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

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Ordered the Iron Goddess Milk Tea (L size) with boba at the recommended sweetness (50%) and 25% ice. Drink was prepared quickly and employees were helpful! Unfortunately, the drink fell short for me as it tasted watered down. I was a little surprised to see it listed as Iron Goddess Black tea, as Iron Goddess is typically oolong tea so I wonder if they mixed the two teas together. The tea flavor was extremely mild and it was a little hard to believe it was a milk tea. The boba was a nice chewy texture and was a little sweet. A large milk tea was $6.75 and after the addition of boba and tax, my total was a little under $8.50 which I found to be expensive for what I received. This shop isn't really suited for my taste. read more

Brian Black Tea - Clean and simple shop and cup designs - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

I visited Brian Black Tea with a few friends to catch up also play some light Monopoly Deal. Finding parking here was super easy on a Sunday afternoon, and ordering was just as smooth. I had their Retro Black Tea with boba and 25% sugar - tasty! Note that enjoying the sit-in area here is a little challenging. It's good to escape the heat at the tables, but there is an awkward amount of space between them. The table organization definitely maximized efficiency at the expense of comfort. Perhaps it was the blockiness of everything, but if you're dropping by for a quick pick up, then this is a great spot for the afternoon pick-me-up! read more

Brian Black Tea - Retro Black Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

Staff were really kind and helpful in giving me a great recommendation based on my preferences. I ended up getting the Iron Goddess Crema with boba. Great quality tea as well as boba. My mom got the same but with grass jelly and I thought their grass jelly was really delicious and stood out among other places I've tried! Spacious shop and service was extremely fast. read more

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What I love about BRIAN BLACK TEA is that their drinks are refreshing and flavorful, it's not watered down, and it's not too sugary or too milky. Wonderful blend of flavors and refreshing drinks! Their service is top notch, professional and respectful. It's quite small inside, very limited indoor seating. No outdoor seating. It's very clean but it's not an ideal spot for hanging out. I usually order to go. They don't accept cash payment; only card. Parking is available in front or at the parking lot but can also get filled up quickly during lunch hours or dinner time hours. Lovely spot for refreshing drinks, I would highly recommend! read more

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I tried two teas here recently and felt like both teas were a bit on the watery side? I tried the assam milk tea with boba and 25% sugar. It tasted a bit watery. I felt like 25% sugar wasn't very sweet at all even with the boba. The tea did give me a buzz though so I guess the caffeine content was there. The boba was fine, decent chew. My spouse got the iron goddess at 50% sugar which was still not very sweet and it tasted watery as well! read more

Drinks were good! I recommend if you really like tea forward drinks :) My friends got the Assam Black milk tea and I got the iron goddess milk tea. The tea flavor is more strong in the assam black tea, and for the iron goddess it's more fragrant! Boba was really good too very chewy. Both of the milk tea however is not as creamy/milky Server was very nice and sweet, and the place is very spacious but not alot of seats and tables. I love the trinkets they have on display read more

Brian Black Tea - Iron Goddess Milk Tea/ 竹山觀音奶茶 with Boba! - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

Finally got the chance to try this place! My partner and I arrived here on a Saturday morning right when they opened at 11:30 am! It's part of a larger Fremont plaza and has lots of parking at the front of the store or nearby. It's a cute store with about 3-4 tables for sitting and a lot of standing room. They still had their spooky decorations up and I loved how they had cute figurines stationed all over the glass dividers, adds a lot of personality. We got the iron goddess black tea and the peach black tea. The IGBT had a strong roasted oolong taste, the tie guan yin scent was very strong. The peach black tea was fruity, smooth, refreshing and does contain seeds in them. Great experience would come here again! read more

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One of my favorite places to get tea in the Bay Area. My to go order is the assam black milk tea. It's mainly a to go location, there are 3-4 tables inside. It's located in the plaza with Target. Plenty of parking! read more

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I'm impressed with the taste here. This is one of the best, if not the best, black milk tea in the bay. The shop specializes in black tea and they really deliver. Perfect balance between tea and milk taste. The boba has great chewiness and sweetness. I ordered 50% sweetness and it's only lightly sweet. (My usual at other boba is 25% sweetness and Brian tea is less sweet than that) read more

Brian Black Tea - Iron Goddess Black Tea/ - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

I generally like this spot for milk tea! Brian Black Tea is located in Pacific Commons, right across from Dick's Sporting Goods. Parking is plentiful, and when I visited in the evening, there wasn't any wait to order drinks. The shop itself is relatively spacious with a large, open counter where you order. There isn't much seating available in the shop itself, as there are a couple sparse tables and chairs. Service was friendly and quick. I got the empress milk tea with no sugar or ice, and my drink came out super quick, something like in under five minutes. I loved how the milk tea was floral, milky, but still with a strong black tea flavor. The drink itself is somewhat pricey but I think it was pretty worth it, at least compared to the other boba shops in the area. I would love to return to try their other milk tea options if I'm ever craving some tea! read more

Brian Black Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

This is a nice spot to stop by after a meal! A majority of their drinks are not overly sweet which is great for people who like straightforward teas. What I've tried: - Empress Milk Tea: Super floral and didn't have a strong tea flavor. Great for those who like lighter teas. - Era Milk Tea: The description for this was "hints of bittersweet coffee aroma and flavor" but it was underwhelming for me. I didn't really taste much notes or flavors and it was pretty watered down. read more

The light black with crema was great! Very good flavors. I would recommend going light on the ice to not dilute the flavor too much. read more

Brian Black Tea - Light black with crema - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

Ordered the assam with creama and iron goddess with creama which were both great tasting teas. You can definitely taste the bold flavor of black tea with both of these drinks and can tell it's high quality and not typical teas used at other shops. The creama added a nice touch to the teas without it overpowering the black tea flavor which was nice. Service was fast and the shop itself is spacious with a few seating and cool informational pictures of their teas and descriptions. I'm definitely interested in trying other drinks. read more

Brian Black Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

Stopped by Fremont to try this place because the aesthetic of this place screams authentic. However that was not the case. We ordered 2 drinks, assam milk tea and iron goddess creama tea and both drinks were very mediocre (some reviews also shared the same). Both drinks, especially the iron goddess, were very watered down with absence of any aroma. We are expecting heavy black tea scent but were disappointed. read more

It was my first time trying Biran Black tea, and I just learneed it orignally comes from Taiwan! I had their Assam milk tea with boba. The Assam black tea had hints of tangerine and longan aroma that I really enjoy! If you're a fan of Assam black tea, it's worth a try here! read more

Brian Black Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

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Brian Black Tea is so great, I can't believe I've been missing out on this location! I've ordered their era milk tea and assam milk tea, and both have been so delicious. I'd say that 50% sweetness and less ice works for me, especially since their boba adds sugar to the drink. There is an amazing fragrant aroma to the tea, the drinks here are simple yet effective. The interior is quite spacious, they could use with a bit more seating. I typically prefer jasmine green tea in my milk tea, but BBT executes the nuanced earthy flavors present in black tea very well without being overly milky or watery. I'm a fan and will continue to visit whenever I find myself in Fremont. read more

Brian Black Tea - Assam Milk Tea and Iron Goddess Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

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Passed by Brian Black Tea while I was up in Fremont. Thought to get myself a drink. Got myself a medium cold Empress Milk Tea with boba ($6.50) with 50% sugar. What I liked about this drink was that it was quite floral and well-bodied. I can see this flavor being quite distinct from their Assam tea drinks. The boba pearls were sweet and chewy. This boba is up there with some of the greats like Yi Fang and Chun Yang. I looked at the rest of the menu and discovered that indeed, this place specializes in black tea options. You won't find any jasmine green tea or tisanes. Matter of fact, the store cycles through about 7 non-speciality teas. I also got my drink fast. In no more than a minute after ordering, the drink was ready. This is a place where you can absolutely hang around with some friends due to its laidback ambiance, but it is perfect for when you got to answer that black tea craving as soon as possible. read more

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I never went here cause I never heard anyone ever talk about it until one of my taiwanese students said this is the most legit place for taiwanese boba that she goes from Berkeley to Fremont just to have it. I was sold so I tried it over the course of a few weeks during the summer. Assam Black milk Tea 5/5 probably the strongest of the milk teas. I like it a lot. Iron Goddess milk Tea 5/5 Less strong than the assam Empress milk Tea 5/5 Less strong than the assam Earl Grey milk Tea 4/5 not strong enough for me. Good for lighter tea palettes. Boba 5/5 nice and good chew I cant speak for legitness but everything Ive tried so far is great! read more

The place looked nice, but overall, the experience was pretty mid. The drink took longer than expected.. the Empress Black Tea was just okay, might try a milk tea next time. The line to order was a bit slow, especially when the cashier kept pausing to take online orders. Nothing really stood out to me, and it wasn't memorable enough to make me want to come back. Not bad, but not great either. read more

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I got the iron goddess black tea creama and it you can definitely taste the tea. All I can really say is that the tea is quite heavy and dense and you can tell it's there. Overall a bit pricey but all the other competitors have gone up as well so it's not crazy expensive either. I guess the only thing holding back this place is that chicha san Chen in my opinion is just way better and not too far from here as well so unless you really like the thick tea or the cream options I would go to chicha san Chen but that's not to say this was a bad tea location maybe just not for me but I see the value in it. read more

We were in the area for lunch, and I wanted some boba afterwards. I got a empress milk tea crema with 50% sugar and less ice. I like it! It's flavorful and yummy. I tried my husband's drink as well and the boba texture was nice and soft. I liked the Halloween decorations they put up, and the figurines were cute. I liked the unique style they have. I would come back if I was in the area. read more

If you dislike sugary teas, Brian Black Tea is the place for you. Some might argue that it's too watery, but the tea taste is definitely there. Their drinks are light in sugar so 100% can easily be compared as 50% sweet to other places. They have a variety of black teas that can be turned into milk teas or cream drinks. It has become rarer to find Iron Goddess tea in the bay area, so it was nice to see it on their menu. Options to change sweetness and ice levels are available. They do charge Fremont sales tax which brings their drinks to a pricier side for milk tea. Will return again for solid black tea choices. read more

Brian Black Tea - Menu (3/13/25) - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

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I got the Iron Goddess Black Tea and it wasn't bad. I went on a Saturday evening and it wasn't too busy. Theres limited seating inside but it's located in a big plaza so you can always walk around. There were also no public bathrooms so that was a bummer. Overall would come back and try different drinks. read more

Stopped by Brian Black Tea on a Sat afternoon, and it was pretty busy inside. Despite the crowd, the cashier was very efficient, and I didn't have long to wait before she was able to take my order. Ordered the Pineapple Black Tea, and although I did not really taste the Pineapple flavor much, the quality of the black tea used was definitely top notch. The tea leaves are steeped sufficiently to product a strong, black tea aroma for all those black tea lovers out there. As a huge fan of boba, I was also pleasantly pleased to discover the boba was fresh and had a great chewy consistency. The service here definitely deserves a shout out. Mika was very friendly, polite, and efficient at her job. And there were quite a few baristas behind the counter making the drinks, so our overall wait time was not too long despite the number of people who ordered in front of us. The interior here is very large and spacious, with a decent amount of tables available if you opt to enjoy your drink indoors. read more

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Really watery but the tea flavor is there. I got the earl grey milk tea and it was very watery.

Decent black milk tea. I got the iron goddess milk tea. I wish there was a stronger tea flavor in it but it still scratches the boba craving. Staff is friendly and helpful. They definitely try to help with recommendations as well. read more

Brian Black Tea - Exterior - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

What's an evening stroll without some tea while spilling the tea with your bestie? We stopped by this place unexpectedly and it was delightful! I got the retro milk tea and wow the tea was so well balanced, the hints of cocoa were something I've never tasted before. I got 100% sweetness which was is probably 70% sweetness elsewhere and it was still amazing! Will be back to try and add some boba to my next drink :p read more

Brian Black Tea has always been on my "will return" list. Lots of indoor seating if you prefer chilling there and lots of amazing drink selections for tea lovers. Definitely try as many as you can. They decorated the store around holiday seasons. read more

The amount of pearls is like 1/3 of the cup. I understand the boba is essential to a drink but I feel the equality is also terrible that they were huge that due to soaking in liquid for along time. It's also overwhelming the tea so I couldn't taste much of the tea. read more

Brian Black Tea - 1/3 of my cup is boba. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

I got three drinks to go and was able to try three different milk teas. - Retro milk tea: cocoa rich aroma, black tea with chocolate, kinda coffee essence - Empress: floral taste, pretty good; similar to chichasanchen - Iron goddess: just tieguanyin, classic p good The teas were all decent but nothing really stuck out to me especially when compared to places like TP TEA or Chicha, which all sell similar teas. The retro milk tea was the only special flavor but I personally wasn't a big fan. If you really enjoy black teas this is the place for you. If you prefer other teas or don't care too much about the subtle tastes of tea, I would not go out of my way to get this. read more

if you are a huge fan of strong, flavored tea options esp the more traditional tea options - I definitely recommend checking this spot out for boba and milk tea. definitely coming back in the new future to try some of the other options that they had since the menu were limited as I went closer to when they were closing. fun fact, they also do do catering as I was able to see it at a wedding recently, which I loved the Boba bar! would recommend for you all to check it out at least once for parking, there are some close by street parking/parking lots in the area - perfect for friends, family, and (solo) dates their staff were very nice and I appreciated how patient they were with the ordering process and ensuring that we liked our drinks! read more

I was in Fremont and decided to try a new boba spot. Brian Black Tea caught my eye as that logo gave me hope for some authentic Taiwanese milk tea. The menu was limited and does not come with a lot of options. I ordered the Iron Goddess Black Tea and the Empress Milk Tea. The Iron Goddess lacked tea flavor and was extremely milky. The osmanthus flavor in the Empress tea was good but once again, lighter than I am used to. The service was nice and I am glad I gave it a try. However, Brian Black Tea was a pass for me. read more

The assam black tea with crema is delicious, even my young son stole it from me because he said it was so good :'( I'm not sure if it's just a weekend wait, but the wait was a little too long for my preference which is why I'm docking a star. read more

The pearls are all connected together that I can't even suck it up with straw. Pearl tastes like coming from the refrigerator made yesterday. This is a drink more than $8. This is surprising bad read more

Brian Black Tea - Peals can't go through the straw - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

Came here on a Saturday afternoon. Parking wasn't too bad, there were open spots for us when we arrived. There was a small line of about 5min, then waiting for the drink another 5 min. I ordered the Iron Goddess Black Milk Tea with less ice and the recommended sweetness. The drink was good! The tea flavor was strong and refreshing. The size is decent for the price. Would definitely recommend this place if you like black tea! read more

Brian Black Tea - Iron Goddess Milk Tea/ - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

I had to do a double take at the store front since it doesn't look like a boba shop and also didn't look open. Taking off a star because of the lack of communication between the back and the front. I wanted boba but they said it would be another hour. A little after I ordered, the front staff asked the back how long it would be for the next batch and they said 5 minutes. I would have waited the 5 minutes. The assam black tea with crema was really good. I finished it in under 10 minutes. read more

Brian Black Tea - Citrus black tea Assam Black Tea with Crema/ - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

Tried Brian's Black Tea for the first time and absolutely loved it!! I think they def have the potential to expand and open more stores in the future. They do only specialize in Black Tea's but I will say it will be one of the best you'll ever have! They are directly from Taiwan so you know their quality is top tier. Def check em out if you're ever in Pacific Commons/Fremont area! Def one of my go-to's for milk teas now! read more

Brian Black Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

Good boba shop for black and milk teas! Inside is very spacious but there is limited seating. I got the iron goddess milk tea, it tasted good but I would definitely get it 100% sweet. Got 75% and it was still pretty strong. Cashier was super nice and I liked all their figures inside lol read more

Brian Black Tea - Iron Goddess Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California

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BIG FAN OF BRIAN BLACK TEA. We came back to try their other drinks since our experience the first time was good and their tea tastes pretty ~high quality~ this time I got the iron goddess milk tea with boba and my boyfriend got the era with crema ( how I wish their cups were transparent ;-;) my drink tasted very strong in tea and not super sweet even tho it was 100% sugar. Tbh I don't think mine would've been super great if there wasn't boba since it wouldn't have been sweet enough (but you can def taste how clean the drink is if that makes sense ) I was a much bigger fan of my boyfriend's lol. It was sweeter and the crema made such a big difference in texture and flavor. My regular order here now is the era with crema and boba read more

Brian Black Tea - Iron Goddess Milk Tea/ Era Black Tea with Crema/ - Bubble Tea Near Me - Fremont, California