I organized a Boba Tour with some friends and this was our second stop. Parking was a huge pain as we came here on the weekend and Chinatown was bustling! However we all found spots and made it! The store was packed! There was definitely limited seating and even limited places to stand. None of us had been there so we didn't know what to do get. A quick yelp search revealed that a lot of people recommended the Burn Burn, which we had no idea what it was, but we decided to go with it anyways. It turns out it is a milk tea with foam and they caramelize the top, think- creme brûlée! It was very delicious! Second we got the Autumn Fairy which was raspberry and green tea which we added lychee jelly to and it was delightful! Overall this place tied for first place (in my opinion) on our tour. I definitely want to come back and try the burn burn pineapple! Also I asked for the drinks to be half sweetened and was told their drinks weren't very sweet so we got them regular and it was perfect!! I passed by this place all the time before and never thought to go because location wise I just assumed it was another boba place in Chinatown but they were definitely way more than that and worth trying!! read more

Bubble U - Burn Burn on the left and Autumn Fairy on the right - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Can definitely tell quality ingredients are used so I'll give Bubble U that, but I'm also basing my review on how my drinks tasted. Ordered the Lavender Milk Tea with Golden Boba and Crunchy Taro Drink. I ordered 25% sweetness for the Lavender Milk Tea and it tasted like no sweetener was added at all so the drink was basically lavender-infused milk. Crunchy Taro drink was much better with chunks of real taro, unlike the artificially purple taro drinks. I will say staff were readily available when I had questions and the shop was COVID-friendly (hand sanitizer, self-order kiosk, 2 customer max). Maybe I just had bad luck with the Lavender Milk Tea but there's enough boba places in LA that I don't think I would make my way back. read more

I'm so happy to find this hidden gem so close to my work! Ordering is a breeze and they have so many options to choose from. I recently tried the creme brûlée tea latte and I am in love. It's COVID safe with card ordering kiosks and text notifications which is perfect for peeking into nearby shops. read more

Bubble U - Super cute & delicious. Classic milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Great drinks! Had the almond milk Thai tea with boba and it was very good! I also like that it lets you customize your drinks down to the sweetness and ice amount. My partner had the matcha tea with almond milk and aloe and he loved it as well. I will definitely be coming back to try some of their other speciality drinks. Overall I would definitely recommend for good boba drinks. read more

Bubble U - Almond Milk Tea w/ boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This place is amazing! Not only thee drinks are so Beautiful so are the people working here! The customer service is definitely five stars. I love the cups!!! They are not flimsy like some of the boba place ( Like when you pick it up it's so fragile! ) I am a coffee drinker! This tiramisu ice coffee hit me at the right spot when I needed a Caffeine pick me up. Also you can't resist the cute little picture of my foam. It's too pretty to drink. My kid found this place and was here before With her bf. She told me about it as she knows I am always on the hunt for Boba. This is definitely a "hit" spot! Try it and you will definitely be coming back! read more

Bubble U - Super cute - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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A nice, refreshing beverage with boba will always get you through a hot, summer day. This time, I got the almond milk tea and I'm glad I got out of there fast; otherwise, I would've ordered another. Wait time was short and service was fantastic! The milk tea was so delicious and they gave me a generous amount of boba. I had a decent number upon every sip and each pearl was just the right texture. The soft boba complemented the sweet, soothing milk tea very well. I normally order the almond milk tea when going into a different boba spot, but I have ordered several flavors at this place before and nothing has let me down yet. Definitely check this place out, especially since the summer heat is still here! read more

Bubble U - Almond Milk Tea with Pearls - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

|[ s w 3 3 t ]| Wow I appreciate the subtle sweet level of this place!! Without any sugar adjustment it's equivalent to 25% sweet levels of typical boba places. I got the roasted oolong milk tea with grass jelly. The flavor was so good. My friends got the charcoal milk tea-- I'm not sure if this is worth the extra $$ as the flavor of the charcoal was noticeable but not something to make me go crazy over it. Their sweetener are also homemade. |[ o v 3 r a l l ]| Overall, the place is cute and the staff are sweet. 10% off for showing student ID! Although they're strict on it and wouldn't accept you knowing any other proof other than physical ID. But I like what I'm tasting so far and would come back to try other flavors (or the same one) in a heartbeat. read more

3.5 stars for my drink, but rounding up for this cute boba shop located in Chinatown. They weren't crazy busy when we stopped by after dim sum nearby around noon on a Sunday. I opted to try their Iced Sea Salt Matcha ($5, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=OoKZ4apafBjna2rT2I75Ug&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg, https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=lpFLkq5qNqk1cvCieYmQKw&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg), which had good matcha flavor and wasn't too sweet. Their sea salt foam was nice and creamy, and the foam art was cute. They have a lot of other drink options and toppings, and I would come back if in the area. They have tables available inside if you want to sit down, but the shop isn't that big. read more

Bubble U - Iced Sea Salt Matcha ($5)- 3.5/5 stars - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Cute packaging for the drinks but the drink itself not so impressive...... I ordered the oolong milk tea w/ organic milk 25% sweet w/ grass jelly and it tastes like very watered down coffee? :-( My bf ordered a dark milk tea half sweet with grass jelly and it was also very watered down and tasteless 2/5..... read more

Bubble U - Oolong milk tea w/ milk + grass jelly. It tasted like watered down coffee :-( - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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In the midst of the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, it's more important than ever to support local businesses in Los Angeles and inject at least modestly into the economy. Businesses that face an uphill sustainability challenge are shops and restaurants like Bubble U. While maintaining social distancing, we can still all use a little cup of happiness filled with boba and delicious smoothies! read more

I used to come here frequently but I don't go into Chinatown as much now so I haven't been in a few months. I've tried a few drinks.. and they were just okay. I feel like I was always disappointed when I leave even though I come in with high hopes cause everyone I go with loves the place for some reason. The workers are really nice and always try to help me decide but obviously in the end it's up to me. They have a rewards card which is nice, but I think the tea is a bit pricy especially since I don't feel totally satisfied after I get it. Didn't care too much before Thai iced tea.. bit too sweet. Matcha was ehhhh. read more

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The Rose Matcha with Boba hit differently (5/5). I love a strong rose flavor and I also love matcha so this is my new favorite drink. The rose petals are a nice touch and the matcha was nice and smooth (contrary to a review I read saying that it's powdery). The boba was good too. 50% tasted like what 100% would normally taste like, a little too sweet for me so I will adjust to 25% next time. This drink is so good that I would willingly come back and drop $6.50 on it. read more

Bubble U - Rose Matcha with Boba (5/5) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A bubble tea shop of the future. There was a walk-up order taking device that shows you all that they have to offer as well as all the additional add ins. It was quite cool. I ordered a Taro Smoothie with Lychee Jelly and cold foam on the top. It was to straight shot to heaven! Perfectly made honestly, they added this baby Yoda stencil on top of the foam too! Soooo cute, also the cup is reusable! Just a delight to even come across this beautiful place with amazing drinks. I'll always come back when ever I'm in LA. read more

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It's a pretty good drink. Love the artwork on the foam.The boba drink at this place is seriously good! The tapioca pearls have the perfect chew, and the sweetness ratio is just right. It all comes together for a tasty experience. Plus, the way they present it is pretty cool too. Definitely a thumbs up from me! read more

The pleasant and bright decor neatly sets up a photogenic atmosphere. It's one of those places that you can stick your drink to any background and still end up worthy for your curated social media. There are also convenient wifi and outlets available for studying, and a student discount to match your thirsty but concerned wallet! The drinks arrive here in one size (I'm guessing 16oz by looks from my Starbucks heydays). There's the option to customize sweetness of the syrup, and many toppings typical of your local boba shop. Each drink totals to $5, and the powder is well blended enough to avoid the sandy texture at cheaper shops. The boba is small-medium sized to a slightly chewy texture and sweet taste. However, the drinks have yet to shine in unique flavours, but the tea extract is lightly discernible. My HONEYDEW MILK TEA tilts more towards the fruity side (which I love!), so I'd recommend braving the iced tea options instead of opting for the blended drinks for those craving a milder blend. No bathroom in this place, nor is there ample street parking. There is still more potential for this shop to grow a distinct identity to eclipse the other hip boba shop, but thus far this stand has warmly earned the title of best boba in Chinatown! Drinks: 3/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 3.5/5 Environment: 4/5 Quick edit: drink is actually 20oz per the quick reply from the owner below! read more

Bubble U - Honeydew Milk Tea with half sweetness! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Came here cause of the good reviews but wow was this not good. I got the taro and my friend got the strawberry matcha with lychee and they were undrinkable. The taro had this weird taste where it felt like it had subtle tastes of grape which was gross and I can't even explain how bad the strawberry matcha drink was. Also when you order your drink, they force you to tip! There's no option to not tip or set a custom amount so I had to tip 10% which was even more lame. Sorry I don't want to be mean but I'm never come here again read more

Lovely hole-in-the-wall bubble tea shop. Their coffee milk tea is great and not artificial :). Passionfruit milk tea is delicious. Brown sugar boba is very delicious as well. This place is not like other bubble tea chains! read more

Bubble U - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I wasn't impressed Bubble U, but service was excellent. The cashier was patient and cheerful. I went with my usual go-to of regular milk tea, 1/2 sweet, no ice, and grass jelly, which totaled $4.50. I got a glance of how drinks were made and sitting on the kitchen counter was a row of powder in different containers... The tea flavoring was just ok, not too artificial. Another feedback to provide is that grass jelly should be cut into smaller cubes. The grass jelly pieces were so big that I had to use a spoon later to eat it. Some tables and chairs inside, but most people seem to get their drinks and leave. Convenient location in the heart of Chinatown. #7/2018 read more

Bubble U - Regular milk tea with grass jelly - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Awesome service! The employees here are really friendly and make a good service. I would like to give 3.5 stars for my drinks but I like the way how they treat to customers with respect. One thing impressed me is their drinks are super aesthetic with cute designs. I ordered Matcha smoothie with 25% of sweetness. I think Matcha tasted not bad, not too strong and not too light. read more

Bubble U - Matcha Smoothie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Came on Saturday night with no line. Drinks came super fast. Foam was super foamy on the brown sugar. Very good. Would recommend. No quicklys. Boba has good consistency . read more

Finally checked out this boba spot located in Chinatown. For my perspective this is prolly the best spot with good quality ingredients in Chinatown. If you're waiting in line for Howlin Rays I suggest getting your boba fix here. Not too far of a walk. I tried their Matcha Milk tea with 25% sweet and ice. Added boba which is a medium sized boba soaked in honey. Which makes a perfect combo with a 25% level sweetness of tea. Most of their teas can come in both ice and cold. Prices are reasonable. Make sure to do your yelp check in to avail for $1off! The cafe is cute but rather on the smaller size so looks like there's a line but it goes by fast. For those who need work space they do offer WiFi. Another plus for this place is their customer service. The lady that was helping me was so sweet and accommodating! Would come back if I'm in the area read more

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Was passing through this area with my hubby on a Thursday while running errands in the late afternoon. As a note, we tried this place during Covid-19. Bubble U were in compliant with social distancing; sticker markers on the ground for lines, social distancing signs around, and offered hand sanitizers for customers. The whole process of ordering was contactless. There are 2 ipads with stands that you place your own orders and make payment. Due to the machines, you could not use cash, only credit card. I didn't see or hear from a staff until the barista finally came out with my order and asked if I wanted a bag for my drinks and handed me my order. PARKING: There was street parking but remember to read street signs. In Chinatown there are exceptions and specific time frames with restrictions. DRINKS: We ordered Coffee Milk Tea (50% sweet with oat milk) and the Avocado Mama (25% sweet with oat milk and golden boba). Coffee Milk Tea tasted like water down coffee and no tea taste at all. Avocado Mama was a very filling and thick drink. I'm typically not into thick drinks but I braved the menu and decided to get something different. There wasn't any taste of oat milk. The golden boba was naturally sweet and yummy. PRICE: The prices are pricier than a lot of the places in Rowland Heights and the SGV area that I go to. SERVICE: It was nonexistent during Covid-19. It was 95% contactless and felt very stale. The menu seems to offer unique flavors so that's good but nothing more than that so I won't be going out of my way for this place. read more

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This is and will continue to be my all time favorite boba spot. You can definitely taste the quality in their drinks. From the drink itself to the boba. I was informed that they use organic milk in their milk teas and smoothies! The healthier the better! Specially for someone like me that drinks boba every other day (if not everyday). My most recent discovery was their golden boba (I believe that's what it's called). I knew that they had 2 different types of boba but I loved the regular boba so much that I didn't feel the need to try the other. BUT one day when I ordered my drink they had ran out of regular boba so I tried their golden boba and it was a lovely surprise! Their golden boba is a bit bigger than their regular boba and to me tasted a lot sweeter. Overall DELICIOUS! Definitely give this place a try. If you're in the area! You won't regret it! Also, they're still open during these tough times (pandemic) which I truly appreciate! (To-go ONLY) for now. read more

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Bubble U is another favorite of ours to visit in LA. Absolutely in love with the BT21 graphic on top of my sea salt tea! This drink was beyond refreshing. The rose matcha is new on their menu and this combination is the best thing ever. -- Located in China Town Sea Salt Green Tea: $6.00 Rose Matcha: $6.00 -- Follow our foodie IG: @imhungwey! read more

Bubble U - Sea Salt Green Tea, Rose Matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My go to boba spot if your in the area! Thank you something to cool down for the summer! Highly recommend!! read more

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The drinks here are amazing. They have so many options to chose from. The service here is amazing. The owner Gary was super welcoming and so helpful with finding me something I would like to drink. The ambiance is co cute and cozy and very welcoming. I highly highly recommend giving this place a try!! read more

Bubble U - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Oolong milk tea, half sweet, less ice, with boba. Not as balanced as Sharetea, Dingtea, and 7 Leaves, but still solid. On the more pricey side ($5.50+) They also have interesting specialty drinks that I didn't try but are worth checking out if you're into variety. Cute interior, with social distancing in place. I like the kiosks. read more

The drinks here are pretty expensive. I ordered the Irish matcha and there was a bitter taste to it. I'm not sure if it's because the mango wasn't ripe enough or if the matcha was unsweetened. Nonetheless, slightly fancier than your normal bubble tea joints but you definitely pay the price. read more

Bubble U - Irish Matcha (Seasonal) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I love how you can make the option for sweetness and able to customize your order. It's all contactless too. The order was done quickly and efficiently. Boba texture was perfect. read more

Bubble U - Black Sugar Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Poor management - Not having drink menu listed on the walls or on their 2 computer monitors is not a good management tactic. And having only just one machine to order is another bad management decision. You don't give the ability for customers to see what they want to order UNTIL they get in front of the order machine is just awful period. Not everyone can make a quick decision and can be very indecisive user pressure. Therefore, this is causing unnecessary long line of waiting. Let's talk about those people aren't computer savvy - The drink display layout on the computer screen is not great either. Just these reasons alone, I'd only give them 1 star. I will give them my final score after I get my drink. The milk tea drink is average at best - It didn't come with boba. She said I didn't order it and she wouldn't let me pay extra for it. Again, the drink order display is poor and a mediocre milk tea that costs almost $6 with no boba is beyond ridiculous. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE read more

First time trying Bubble U! Love that there's an online ordering system so that you can just pick it up in store (also offers text updates which is convenient). The store is relatively small so just be conscious when picking up/ordering since there's a limit to customers in the store. Boba itself was good! Chewy and flavorful, the teas itself were good as well(: read more

Bubble U - Earl grey iced milk tea with boba Taro iced milk tea with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cute little boba shop in the heart of Chinatown ! We were in the area picking up jewelry and found Bubble U's right across the street, so we decided to give it a try. The shop itself is quite tiny with few tables and counter top space. But there are tons of instaworthy decorations that make for a great photo-op. Drinks: their menu is quite simple with several teas, milk ices, smoothies, and specialty drinks. I had the sea salt cream over green tea topped with grass jelly. Personally, I like my drinks sweeter, but they were definitely on the lighter side. The tiramisu iced coffee is definitely a unique twist on two classic sweets! We also had the golden Hawaiian smoothie, which I actually really loved; it was simple and a lovely combination of golden kiwis and fresh mangos. Snacks: they have several classic tea snacks that are all super yummy. We actually tried most of them. Bubble U has a great concept of a snack box where you can pick two snack items which also comes with carrots& celery for $9: definitely some bang for your buck! Wings: fried and moist on the inside, has kind of a lemony taste to them, but in a good way Squid balls: smaller than the usual boba shop orders, but they give you a generous amount Wontons: fried meat dumpling, super crispy and thick wonton skin !! Love these Fried tofu: like most fired tofu; nothing bad, but not great either Popcorn chicken: great flavor! Not overly salty and has a subtle hint of tea leaf(sounds weird, but just try and youll know it's good) *they no longer carry bento boxes, but they do have pastries like macaroons and cake pops. Parking: mostly street, unless you want to pay for lots? Discount: lovely deals for locals and students ! read more

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I read a couple reviews complaining about the kiosk's tip system. It automatically sets the tip setting to 20% which is true, but it was right in the middle of the payment screen. I don't mind the kiosk for order. My Lychee fruit tea was super refreshing and not bitter like I've had at other boba shops. I'll be coming back! read more

Bubble U - Lychee Green Tea (no add-ons bc I'm basic) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This was my first time here, so it's only based on the strawberry matcha I bought. The boba was smaller than usual shops but it was chewy and sweet. I just wish there was more matcha flavor because it tasted more and more like strawberry puree milk. It's also pricier than other shops. They charge 30 cents for no ice and 0.75 for toppings which made it even more expensive, but the cup is also pretty tall. Topping appeared to he less than other shops. Wasn't feeling like milk tea this time, but would come back to try it another time. Order was contactless, and service was fast. Side note, the music here was awesome. read more

Bubble U - Strawberry Matcha with Boba (regular) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We ordered the Thai Icec Tea and Mango Black Tea with lychee jelly - both at 75% sweetness level. Super easy to order and customize your drinks and they were delicious!! The cups are so nice that we actually rinsed it out at the airport and are bringing it home. read more

The milk tea didn't taste enough like tea, but it was still good. We also get a brown sugar boba but that was too too sweet. The place is nice but don't think I'd return. read more

So I went here with a friend and he claimed it was his favorite boba shop so I obviously had to try it while we were in LA. The shop is located in Chinatown and is kinda small. Cute interior and the cashier was nice. Answered all our questions. I ended up getting an Irish Matcha at 75% sugar and my friend got a Sunny Melon. Both drinks were very lackluster, even for my friend. The Irish Matcha was more tart than sweet and the matcha flavor wasn't really there. Sunny Melon was also really diluted and tasted like blended fruits that weren't ripe yet. Maybe we came on an off day or ordered the wrong things but probably won't be back with all the other potential spots in LA. read more

Bubble U - Irish Matcha (Seasonal) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Disappointment! Overrated and nothing special about this place. The only thing "special" about this place is how they use a screen so you can order your own drink (that's actually a bad idea during covid/ people touching screens all day). Plus the person in front of us took over 10 minutes to order their drinks. They should At leasthave an employee somewhere at the front so they can answer and suggest drinks to customers. Service= 0 STARS. Flavor= 2/5 Yawn, mediocre Presentation= 3/5 "Oh look it comes with a lid that has snappy cap" All marketing. Don't get fooled and sucked in by the modern environment/ loud music and people standing in line for this place. There's better milk tea places nearby! read more

Cute and contemporary, Bubble U is a boba/tea shop located in the center of Chinatown. Bubble U offers quick and friendly service. Their drinks are very well made, and can be easily customized to your taste preference. I've tried their drinks on three separate occasions, and haven't had a bad experience yet. Definitely swing by Bubble U to satisfy your tea cravings! read more

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I got the signature black sugar milk tea with golden boba and cream on top. It was delicious! First time to try the golden boba; it was very chewy and sweeter than regular boba. Overall, i liked it and would come back again! read more