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    Bu Tea Den

    5.0 (13 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Bu Tea Den Photos

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    Easy entrance to a genuine art house experience
    Beau H.

    A soulful speakeasy with a smile. Upon being admitted into the Bu Tea Den one is met with kindness and smart people doing smart things. The music is upbeat, fun and well curated for this beautifully lit high vibrational space. Natalie has built a wonderful tea selection and we sampled a trio of great blends : The Den Blend, Jasmine & Oolong all brewed in an Eastern way with 5 grams of tea so it's taste is pure, dense and strong. I have personally wanted to embrace tea, especially as a traveled person it's good to learn and experience each blend and I love learning the history. Bu Tea Den hosts several AFTM : Automated Fortune Telling Machines that when one is honest, answering questions at an ATM like machine a print out and a 'Paisley ID' is awarded to you that appears across the room on a screen of other newly named 'paisleys'. These move with the vigor reflected in the caffeinated teas that we have consumed. This is beyond cool and so was the accuracy of the printed fortune. Mahjong is not only played here some nights but also taught. This is a true art house with all the fun of one. The tea is excellent and the vibe fun and authentic. Natalie and Severin have truly created enchantment.

    Aftm: automated fortune telling machine
    Jillian M.

    Sev and Natty are amazing hosts, very friendly and interactive. The space itself it's nicely decorated and calm, but that draw is the interactive paisley art and fortune atm machine which is quite unique and I've never seen before. They have a great assortment of teas for you to sample as well as amazing snacks. I highly recommend you check this spot out before it gets popular. Space is limited and is rsvp only! It was perfect for a chill date night, My BF really loved the vibe. I love tea places and I can see being a regular here.

    Cozy interior
    Daniel B.

    I came to Bu Tea Den as a paid plus one to a Yelp Elite event and had a great time! This speakeasy tea shop is housed on the first floor of an industrial style building home to various artists who rent the space. It was a very neat experience where art meets a curated tea tasting with some eclectic snacks. You can also get your fortune read by answering some questions via a repurposed ATM machine. After your fortune is printed, your name is added to a paisley and projected onto a screen at the back wall of the den. All the paisleys swim around and interact with each other like little tadpoles in a pond. The printed fortune has a QR code where you can also learn more about your fortune. We tried three different teas, their house tea, called Den Blend, a jasmine tea, and an oolong tea. All were great and well balanced. Snacks included matcha-flavored popcorn and shortbread cookies, as well as dill pretzel sticks and mochi nuggets. The owners were super friendly and great to talk to! It had a very unique, cozy vibe. Can't wait to go back.

    Automated Fortune Teller Machine
    Philicia H.

    First time trying out a tea speakeasy and it was such a great vibe! This place is simple yet very interesting. The owner made this cozy den into an immersive art experience. You buzz in at the gate and walk into a transformed loft in a warehouse. The owner showed us around and explained the different types of teas and the Automated Fortune Teller Machine. It prints out your numerology, chakra, soul age, and more. The teas were so good! Love their house tea that they mix with lemon grass. We went to the happy hour 2 for 1 that they have on select Fridays. There are other events that the den host as well. Check out their page on social media to learn more about. Great place to connect with friends and strangers.

    I am not usually a tea person, but I came here for a yelp elite event as a +1 and I was pleasantly surprised! We started at the repurposed ATMs and took a quiz that gave us a personalized response about ourselves, and our names were put on the projector based on how we answered. Then we sat down and the two hosts were very kind to us and were providing us with various teas to try! Sev also kept the snacks coming which was awesome lol. Overall, very fun and cozy experience!

    Tea!

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Photo of Severin S.

    Severin S.

    Thanks Janet! Always a pleasure to have you at the Den!

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    7 months ago

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    11 months ago

    Helpful 3
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    1 year ago

    Helpful 4
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    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
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    9 months ago

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    Severin S.

    Helpful 1
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    9 months ago

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    Severin S.

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    11 months ago

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    Severin S.

    Helpful 3
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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Definitely an art experience with delicious tea and friendly owners who made my time there an enjoyable one.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Severin S.

    Severin S.

    Thanks Edward. It was nice to host you at the den and chat!

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    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
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    Ask the Community - Bu Tea Den

    Review Highlights - Bu Tea Den

    Sev, one of Bu Tea Den's co-owners, came out to greet and lead us into the tea den.

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    Steep - Cold Tofu Noodle

    Steep

    4.4(293 reviews)
    3.5 miChinatown
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    Saw this spot online and I have been looking into places where I can sit and get some studying done…read moreand as a big tea drinker, I knew I had to visit. I came in on a weekday midmorning and while there were others in the cafe, it wasn't too busy and I didn't have to wait at all. I took public transit and walked on over but there is theoretical metered street parking outside if you're lucky. Tea Ceremony (black) 5/5, I really enjoyed this! They verbally walk you through a how-to process for the tea steeping, provide you with a timer and all the equipment and have refillable water for you. This came with dried fruits and and choice of pastries; I opted for 2 egg tarts which were light, flaky, and stuffed full of egg!! There's a bathroom outside of Steep that they have the code for and there is wifi present so there are people on their laptops although I did witness someone take a work call in the cafe which I thought was odd?? Overall, I would come back and would recommend.

    Nice place with a very relaxing vibe. Not crowded at lunch time. Good seating for meeting a friend…read moreor working on your laptop. Unfortunately, I came on a weird day after several private events in a row, and the only "big bite" item they had was the beef noodle soup. It was decent, but not extraordinary. The soup was brothy (not thick), flavorful, but a little sweet. The beef was a bit drier than I liked. The portion was ok. I also had the iced guava oolong. It was refreshing, but you really cannot taste the tea. They are inside a courtyard across the street from Phoenix Bakery. It may be somewhat tricky to find if you're looking for a standalone storefront on the street. There is metered street parking but I later found out that the building has its own parking. Overall, a nice place. But I wouldn't come here specifically for their beef noodle soup. You get better in the SGV.

    Photos
    Steep
    Steep - Pineapple cheesecake

    Pineapple cheesecake

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    ChaTraMue Original Thai Tea - Yuzu Green Tea with Honey Pandan Boba

    ChaTraMue Original Thai Tea

    4.3(332 reviews)
    3.5 miChinatown
    $$

    Came back to this place after a yelp event. I didn't purchase any food. There are many…read moreinteresting drink choices. The price is not that bad. The service was good. The ambiance is fine. Several places to sit. Parking is in a shared lot and it's free. By the way, that laxative drink that they offer doesn't work right away. Expect results the next day.

    This place is in a small plaza on an wide street with no marked pedestrian crossings so watch your…read morestep. The parking lot seems sufficient for the area with a fence dividing the lot from the outside. The inside is a brightly lit tea shop with 2 self order tablets on boxy shelves. There is a good amount of seating and free wifi. I ordered a classic thai tea and a green (jasmine) thai tea... at 50% sweetness. The reason I emphasize sweetness level is because of how sweet the beverages are. I love sugar: sweets, desserts, and beverages. 50% is plenty here. At this level the sugar doesn't overwhelm the tea and the two blend well together having nice spiced notes, tea strength, and milky goodness. My first experience as a ChaTraMue left me sugar'd out, but at 50%, I think a good balance has been struck. They do serve their drinks with plenty of ice, so it might be diluted enough if the ice melts. All in all, the thai tea is great if youre cautious with your sweetness. I can see why people like the thai tea, the spices mixing with the high quality tea is really satisfying and refreshing.

    Photos
    ChaTraMue Original Thai Tea - Side of Brown Sugar Boba

    Side of Brown Sugar Boba

    ChaTraMue Original Thai Tea - Green Milk Tea

    Green Milk Tea

    ChaTraMue Original Thai Tea - THAI TEA - 70% SUGAR

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    Tea at Shiloh - Loft at the Annex

    Tea at Shiloh

    3.6(71 reviews)
    2.3 miDowntown

    Came to Tea at Shiloh with some girlfriends to celebrate my birthday week! It was so cute inside!…read moreNice and cozy! Everyone working there are so sweet and informative. They lay down the ground rules when you walk in and let you know how the evening will go. The tea was 10/10 wow! I can't recall which one i kept coming back to but i had four cups. I love how informative they are of each tea blends and they really cater to everyone. Once you find a nice little cozy spot pray it's still available when you get up to go to the restroom or get more tea. You can't reserve an area the whole point is to meet others and socialize. Again i loved coming with my friends and made more at the end of the night. Loved the live music as well!! (:

    Avoid! Such a poorly planned space & event altogether. Wish I'd never wasted my time and money…read morehere. Like Robert W. shared, I understand that this teahouse is supposed to be a "communal space" and for the "community", but what person can spend ~$50-60 for entry per person, especially in this economy? How is that community building? For what, just tea? No other refreshments and limited arts supplies & seating. And the time it takes to get the tea made - people rush to get refills and so there never was enough. I don't know why they can't use bigger tea pots. And there's just one bathroom, if I recollect. While it is spacious, I think there're ADA concerns of getting into the bathroom due to initial stairs I believe they oversold the event too, so it felt like we were packed into such a limited space, almost sitting on top of one another. Had my extroverted friend not wanted to be here, I would never have stayed for the duration I did. There's barely any seating if there are groups who come and take up space; the entire space barely has any ventilation and they run incense sticks & aroma therapy, makign it extremely hard to breath after an hour. The air purifiers were on red the entire time, but not a single employee did anything, even when it was pointed out. All the shoes were off - which is great - but then you have a fire hazard right by the door because there's literally not enough shoe storage space, so shoes were all over the floor too. You're absolutely better off going to a small business coffee shop where there're pastries & drinks available, with more space & better ventilation.

    Photos
    Tea at Shiloh - Sitting area

    Sitting area

    Tea at Shiloh - Main area

    Main area

    Tea at Shiloh

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    Rose & Blanc Tea Room - Brought my own cake which you can do with a $2 per person slicing fee.

    Rose & Blanc Tea Room

    4.3(362 reviews)
    3.9 miKoreatown, Wilshire Center
    $$

    Food: my hubby and I came for cute date and overall had a great experience. The tea service had an…read moreassortment of tea sandwiches, scones, and desserts presented on classic 3 tiered stand. The smoked salmon sandwich was probably my favorite of the savory bites. The desserts were pretty, sweet, and fit the whimsical princess tea-room aesthetic well. Nothing was overly adventurous or fusion-y, but everything felt thoughtfully prepared for an elevated afternoon tea experience. The portions were surprisingly filling by the end too! Price: Rose & Blanc is one of the more approachable afternoon tea experiences in Los Angeles. Their standard tea service starts around $38 per person, while the more elaborate tea set runs about $50 per person and includes additional stuff. Given how expensive high tea can get around LA, the pricing feels fairly reasonable, especially for special occasions like birthdays, bridal showers, or catching up with friends. Ambiance: The ambiance is probably the biggest draw here. The entire space is decorated in soft baby pink with floral accents, chandeliers, vintage-inspired décor, and elegant table settings. It feels feminine, charming (not tacky at all!) and intentionally designed for celebrations, and of course Instagram photos. Despite being located upstairs in a bustling Koreatown plaza, once you're inside it feels surprisingly cozy and transported from the busy city outside. Service: Service was friendly and attentive throughout the tea service. Staff checked in regularly, explained the tea sets, and kept things moving at a comfortable pace without making us feel rushed. Since tea service is reservation-based and served during designated seating times, everything felt organized and structured. Most servers spoke both English and Korean yay Parking: Parking is easier than expected for ktown. There's a self-parking structure available in the building, though spaces can fill up quickly during popular tea times and special events. I'd still recommend arriving a little early to secure a spot.

    Ktown is always full of fun little secrets and gems and Rose & Blanc Tea Room is one of them. If…read moreyou love tea time without the exorbitant prices, then this is your place. Great teas and little finger sandwiches and pastries all at an affordable price of $30-50ish per person (vs. some other places which may go upwards of like $60-100 per person). The whole decor is cute with pink and white being the main motif of the tea room which is a stark difference from the plaza just outside. The dishware and tea sets are all so cute and the teas? Plenty of options. My wife and I tried out the pear and hibiscus teas respectively and they were just right: not too sweet. The sandwiches were great with slight asian influences to them. The pastries were my favorite though, nothing like a scone with butter and jam to go with your tea. Anyway, great teas, great food, great vibes, and great prices. What more do you need? A reservation? Yeah I suppose that helps too hah!

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    Rose & Blanc Tea Room - Egg salad amazing one of the best in a long time.

    Egg salad amazing one of the best in a long time.

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    Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea - Decent amount of seating

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    4.4(53 reviews)
    2.6 miArts District, Downtown
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    Pet friendly
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    I had a good experience at Yi Fang (Los Angeles). I ordered the Sugarcane Mountain Tea ($7.24 -…read more50% Sugar - Less Ice). The crisp flavor of tea and fresh sugarcane is invigorating. TASTY! I arrived at Yi Fang (Los Angeles) on Sunday (around 12:48PM). Parking is very challenging. I'd parked at a nearby structure and walked over. Staff (receipt says Dinh) is very polite and hardworking. Dinh gave wonderful recommendations, and Dinh worked hard. My drink took one minute and 50 seconds. Fast! As mentioned, I enjoyed the Sugarcane Mountain Tea ($7.24 - 50% Sugar - Less Ice). It's refreshing, flavorful, and thirst-quenching. The ingredients are good quality, and I felt happy & satisfied as I sipped. On ambiance, Yi Fang (Los Angeles) is cozy, clean, and small. However, it shares a space with Matcha Ren, so the spot feels larger. On its own, there's one corner table, but I appreciated how the table had an electrical outlet adapter with extra plugs and usb ports. There's also customer internet with password; details are visible on the front counter. Overall, Yi Fang (Los Angeles) is a lovely spot for good tea. I felt comfortable, and I left satisfied. If you're already walking nearby, I happily recommend. 4.7 out of 5

    Wonderful employees. Friendly and accomplished. The drinks are magic! The best boba taro drink i…read morehave ever had.

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    Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea
    Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea - Mango sago pomelo  Brown sugar latte boba Green tea latte with grass jelly @dangit.all

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    Chicha San Chen - Taro Paste and Ball with Fresh Milk

    Chicha San Chen

    4.0(1.4k reviews)
    10.3 mi
    $

    Yesh yesh & yesh!…read more Quality tea right here!!! The first time I visited this place was when they were fairly new. At that time, I left with a not so good impression. The tea was pretty bland lol I m glad I returned. The most recent visit made me realized that Chicha prob has one of the best teas in SGV. The drink I got had a very nice strong tea flavor. It was quenching! The AC was great here. It made the experience so satisfying! Pricey ? Yesh!! Will I return? Yesh!! Love the AC and the drinks! Seriously...these other hot hot tea shops or restaurants need to follow...

    My buddy called this place the Michelin of tea. I told him to slow down with that proclamation. No,…read morehe was right. This place hits! Arguably the best tea place I've had. And probably the busiest store in the already crazy busy plaza. I see why the line goes out the door. Flavor was excellent. Well balanced. Nothing overpowering. Staff were polite, well dressed, and friendly despite the crowd. Ordering was easy. Ingredients measured which tells me they're consistent. Super consistent. I'm sure others rave about the drink sleeve with the trusty rope handle. Which is surprisingly sturdy. I mean, don't go swinging around your highly crafted drink you paid good money for. But you could. Great vibe, limited seating. Shared plaza bathroom that you have to request a key. And parking is nuts. Bring a friend and drop them off to get in this line while you park. Pro tip. Enjoy and cheers.

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    Chicha San Chen - Inside

    Inside

    Chicha San Chen - Lemon Tart

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    MEMORYLOOK - Brown Sugar Hojicha Einspanner and Matcha Latte

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    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    2.6 miKoreatown
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    So MemoryLook is a little expensive, BUT honestly the prices offset the cost of parking which is so…read morehelpful in K Town. And they are so sweet and do not rush anyone, you can stay here as long as you want. My friends and I WFH so we decided to Work From MemoryLook (WFML) one day together. I'm glad we did! Great pastries in the morning, i had the cremme brûlée donut which had tons of filling, and the pea foam matcha latte which was fantastic. And I had an EXCELLENT chicken Chipotle wrap at lunch that was recommended to me by the gentleman working at memory look. I'm not certain where these wraps are made. Another gentleman would bring them from the building in the same complex. I LOVED my wrap. They have a ton of seating outside too but there aren't any outlets out there so it's harder to WFH out there unless you're fully charged. But was great for separate meetings we all had to attend. The photobooth was fun but we were so thrown off by it taking 8 photos, we had no idea how many poses we would have to come up with hahaha. I would definitely come back here anytime!

    Came on a Friday afternoon, and there weren't too many people. I like the outdoor and indoor…read moreseating options, and the interior of the cafe is really cute! I got the Matcha Einspanner, and it was pretty good. It tasted a bit grainy I will say. When I mixed the cream top with the matcha, the flavor was better, but I wouldn't say it's the best matcha I've had before. I would try one of their other drinks if I'm ever in the area again!

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    MEMORYLOOK - Matcha Einspanner

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    3CAT Handcrafted Beverage - Mochi mango, jasmine ube burst

    3CAT Handcrafted Beverage

    4.4(289 reviews)
    3.3 miKoreatown, Wilshire Center
    $$

    Was craving some late-night boba and was glad 3CAT was open! I tried the Mochi Barley Burst (less…read moresweet), and it was so yummy. It's a black milk tea with soft mochi topping and a barley popping boba, which make for such a fun texture! I love anything mochi, so this drink was perfect! You order at one of the kiosks, and service is pretty fast. There's limited seating, but it feels more like a grab-and-go boba spot. There's also a parking lot attached to the plaza, which is convenient, although it seems like it can get pretty busy during peak hours.

    Boba Upgraded! The Mochi Barley Burst Is an Absolute Must-Try…read more 3CAT Handcrafted Beverage has become one of my new favorite boba spots! This is a tea-forward spot that makes all ingredients and toppings fresh from scratch daily. Their most well-known unique topping is the barley popping boba. They use a real-chewy highland barley grain that gives off a nutty, earthy and milkdly sweet pop that makes for a unique texture. The fan-favorite drink is the Mochi Barley Burst which pairs a floral black milk tea with the popping barley and fresh handcrafted mochi. The tea does not have any artificial syrups and uses an organic milk with a bold tea base. The handcrafted mochi is super fun to have with the popping barley because it is pillowy and velvety. Make sure to mix it well together, so you can enjoy the whole drink for all its features. I like the ambiance of the shop. It's a smaller shop with some seating area. You order your drink at the self-service station. There's quite a few staff working to make the drinks, so we got our drinks in less than 10 minutes. I adore 3CAT and I would highly recommend visiting if you haven't already!

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    3CAT Handcrafted Beverage - Mango mochi

    Mango mochi

    3CAT Handcrafted Beverage - Avamango Sweet Dew, Cheese Grape, Mochi Mango

    Avamango Sweet Dew, Cheese Grape, Mochi Mango

    3CAT Handcrafted Beverage - Peach slushy

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    Bu Tea Den - tea - Updated September 2026

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