Cha for Tea is a nostalgic favorite for me as I've been coming here since I was a student here. Given that I started coming here at the beginning of this century, I have to give them respect for their tea being consistent for decades. I love their honey green milk tea and their boba is consistently warm/chewy in that perfect way. I wish I could get more volume in my orders, but I do crave their tea here and I can''t keep myself from stopping by when I'm in the area. read more

I wish yelp would do half stars, this place would get 3.5 from me. Rounding down because I will frequent other locations when I have options. This was a good Boba place for order ahead and pickup. It's right by the UCI campus so it's very busy with a line out the door and the place itself is quite small. I could imagine waiting for your order takes awhile. When you pickup the person taking orders will help you ahead of the giant line which is nice but probably slows down the line so not the best system. The boba was good but I feel like the menu was limited. No oolong options and the black milk tea was just ok. Parking makes this place a task to get to. Overall just ok. read more

This was an always a staple spot at UTC to get my boba fix. I think Cha has a best boba, they have the perfect texture and bounce. My go to drinks are the honey green milk tea and the mango green tea, but I always lower the sweetness to 2/5, which is already plenty sweet for me. The popcorn chicken also deserves a shout out! read more

Cha For Tea - matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

An old college staple we had to come back and visit after all these years. We're so happy to see the food and drinks are just as consistent and affordable as before. Given all the new boba shops around, it's refreshing to see Cha still prices their drinks a bit cheaper and serves it with delicious popcorn chicken snacks. Interior was bright, clean, and well lit with four pitchers of fresh teas to sample as you wait in line. Service was great and speedy - our orders were taken quickly and our drinks/food were out in about 10 minutes. read more

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Made a pit stop to get some liquid desert in a form of boba drink. Good. Service here is order at the counter and get your name called. Ambiance - there is a small few tables inside. The rest is outdoor shared seating near the fountain. read more

Cha For Tea - Prep area - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

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Cha for Tea is tried and true. It's still just as good as during my college days at UCI. It brings back lots of memories coming here. But just as it was years ago, quality of drinks are still above average. Their teas are so rich and aromatic. I'm always a fan of the almond milk tea and mango tea, but in college I would occasionally satisfy that sweet tooth with a strawberry colada cooler. I remember the boba pearls being very sweet and chewy. Crispy popcorn chicken is always a wonderful salty pairing. On this most recent visit we ordered a beef stew meal which comes with rice and corn and we ordered a side of popcorn chicken. We also ordered drinks, and took everything to the beach. Good food, good drinks, good company, good times. I wish there was a Cha for Tea near me. read more

Timmy was nice and took our order with ease. Got the large peach passion green tea and was refreshing, boba was deliciously bouncy and chewy. Would recommend the caramel boba for a milk or coffee drink for next time. Considering the location it was busy, but we got through the line and received our orders pretty quickly. Lots of tables inside and saw a few people with laptops doing work. Outdoor seating is available with little to no shade. Good natural lighting exposure during the day inside the shop and clean modern decorations makes for a refreshing place to be in for me. read more

Cha For Tea - Large Peach Passion Green Tea Front of store photo - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

The mango green tea is splendid for the hot weather. Just the right amount of sweet and very refreshing. Their boba is perfectly chewy as well. The popcorn chicken was yummy. We got very hot and it wasn't spicy at all. Service is nice and fast which is a plus. read more

Cha For Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

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Very yummy boba. Prices were very yummy. The wait was very quick and awesome. Drinks came out very fast. It was very yummy. Yum yum yum

Honestly this review is long overdue. I grew up going here with my sister and it's always our favorite boba. The black almond milk tea just always hits right. I lived away from CA for 10 ish years and still missed this place when I was gone. Writing this today specifically because I truly appreciate the kind staff (as always). My phone ran out of battery while charging in the car(?!) and Myke very kindly let me charge it until I was good to go again. Also, they consistently always care about my allergies and I've never had an allergic reaction to any food here despite many different things to watch out for. I will forever stan the black almond milk tea, and everything else I've had is wonderful too. Thanks for always feeling like home. read more

Always fast and delicious! And most of the time friendly. My favorite is definitely the crispy chicken with noodles, always hits the spot. I also enjoy the peach tea, but get it half sweet. Great location, it's always sparkling clean, has a great vibe, and consistent with the great food and drinks. Happy to be a regular here. read more

Honestly no words needed. A UCI classic. I love their samples. I've never disliked a drink from there, and I've tried many over the years. Their spicy crispy chicken is yum. read more

If you were a UCI student then you know Cha was the ultimate boba spot. They have done quite a bit of a remodel that I barely recognized it! Still just as busy, there will always be a line out the door. Luckily you can now order online for pickup. I ordered my usual almond black milk tea and it tasted just like I remembered! read more

Cha For Tea - Almond milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Fast wait time, delicious drink, good prices, but hot as hell inside. Customer service was amazing.

As a long-term customer of cha, it's became apparently clear that they do not care about customer input, especially on food items. On a multitude of times I have purchased the popcorn chicken from this establishment. Each time I come I get the same spice level, yet each time I receive the item the spice level is different. From past times I've let it go and assumed it was just a mistake. But no, it's become blatantly clear they do this simply for efficiency. If there are other orders of popcorn chicken coming in around the same time you order you will get whatever spice level they give you. It's simply absurd to ask a customer for input then blatantly disregard it. read more

My friend told me this was a classic for UCI students, but me being a UCSD alum, meant I never had the chance to try it! We came pretty late in the night and saw that it was pretty crowded with people grabbing boba and hanging out. The surrounding shops were all closed, so this was definitely the spot. Inside, there was a line to order, which went by fast, and free samples which were out by the time the line moved. I ordered a peach mint refresher with splenda and thought it was a pretty tasty drink! The splenda though, isn't my favorite sweetener, so something like stevia would be better. Nonetheless, the mint flavor was great, and the toppings were awesome. The service was phenomenal as well, with the staff being super friendly and efficient! I have to stop by for a bite sometime! read more

Cha For Tea - Peach Mint Refresher with Splenda - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

If you want great quality boba and drink then this place might be for you! The line can get pretty long especially on the weekend and closer to night. There isn't a lot of seating inside but plenty outside. The worker was quick to take our order. One thing I would critique is the amount of boba they give per drink; they do not give a lot of boba. I would recommend getting their drink less sweet because it is too sweet for me. Overall, really solid boba shop! Plus is that they have snacks and food to munch on if you want to pair your boba with popcorn chicken. read more

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This spot is very popular among college students as it is close to campus. I usually see a long line, especially during the evening or night time. However, there is the option to order online and pickup if you don't want to wait in a line. My friends and I used to prefer Sharetea since it's also in UTC but recently I've been going to Cha For Tea as well. The only thing is that I wish Cha For Tea also had a rewards system like a lot of other boba spots do. They recently opened the inside seating and I think it's pretty aesthetic and nice. I love the crispy chicken appetizer (basically popcorn chicken) and get it with medium spice, which is not that spicy in my opinion. For tea, I order the honey green milk tea and switch between getting it cold or hot depending on the weather and how I'm feeling. Honey milk tea is my boba go-to drink in general and I'd rate theirs as a 7/10. Like other boba spots, you can adjust sweetness level, ice level, etc. There are two drink sizes - medium and large. There's only about a 50 cent difference between the two sizes so I usually get a large. They used to have a few samples inside where the line is but I don't know if they still do as I didn't look for it recently. They have entrees as well so I'd like to come back and try those soon. read more

Cha For Tea - Honey Green Milk Tea (Medium) with Boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

I usually always come for the drinks. This time I decided to get the popcorn chicken. When I opened the bag there was a feather on the chicken piece that they gave me. Drinks were good tho. I recommend the mango green tea. read more

Cha For Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Actually the best boba ever of life. I will take this boba over any boba I've ever tried in the world. The boba is so chewy and the teas are yummy. I do wish their jasmine was stronger but the mango green tea is fire. It's clean inside but I usually just pick up and go tbh. The workers are also friendly. read more

We had Cha for Tea provide boba service at our wedding in San Clemente, and it was a huge hit. We picked Cha for Tea for the ease of their catering process as well as quality of their boba drinks. They were responsive throughout the planning process and worked directly with our coordinator on delivery timing and logistics. We picked four different teas, and two different toppings (boba and jelly). We were welcome to bring our own décor for the boba table, but we thought that their provided "BOBA" marquee sign was eye-catching and more than enough. When service started our guests immediately flocked to the station, but throughout the night everyone was able to get one. The boba was fresh, soft, and perfectly cooked, as if we were at a boba store. They even packed the leftover tea in a jug for us to take home at the end of the night. We would happily pick Cha for Tea again for any large gathering. read more

Perfect value, taste, and portion for their bento boxes! Went on a Saturday night and there was a bit of a line but went fairly quick. Staff was friendly and walked through their menu options. I ordered the crispy chicken entree with rice. You can choose between rice or egg noodle and adjust the popcorn chicken spice level to your liking. You can make it a combo meal with any drink. Food came out quick! It's a great grab and go place. There are a few tables/seats inside. Parking available inside a plaza. Will come back again for the bento boxes and to try their drinks! read more

Cha For Tea - Crispy Chicken Entree - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Oh my gosh their boba's are soo good! If you're a fan of soft squishy bobas this is your place! I warn you though the line is pretty long, and I've heard that's very normal. I went on a weekday like on Wednesday and the line was outside. Definitely get the larger size because the small size is so small. In two sips you're going to finish the drink. My favorite drink from them is the Honey Green Milk Tea. It's one of their most popular drinks! read more

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Consider this a 3.5 star rating. Parking can be tricky at UCI Town Center! I parked a ways away and walked, but thankfully I wasn't in a particular rush. I went to Cha for Tea in the middle of a Friday afternoon and didn't find a long line (it's packed at night, though!). The employee at the counter who helped me was in training, according to his name tag, and was very friendly and got my order down no problem. However, I will note that they said they didn't have the classic jasmine milk tea that I love at most boba shops. Instead, it's a honey green blend of teas. Now, I should've noted the "honey" in the name. When I got my drink (maybe 2 minutes after I ordered - quick turnaround!), I found that the milk tea was overwhelmingly honey-tasting. To the point that it definitely overpowered any tea flavor that the blend had. The drink itself had an overly sweet, almost artificial taste to it. The boba was so soft that it made it harder to chew because of the texture. Not necessarily a bad shop overall, but it wasn't a drink that would keep me coming back as a regular. Service was great, though, so full points for that :) read more

Used Cha for our school event! You can buy a Cha deconstructed, so its not watered down. A huge plus in my book and a great value!

Stephanie was very patient and helpful! She answered all my questions about the menu and was very knowledgeable about the ingredients. I ordered the Passionfruit Green Tea and Popcorn Chicken and both were delicious! read more

Tasty and refreshing especially when the weather is hot, and food snack is a good confort food

Cashier Jaden was amazing! He recommended a great drink. I will definitely be coming back!

Every time we're in Irvine, we make it a point to stop by Cha for Tea. I can't believe how long this place has been around. It always brings me nostalgia when I come back to UTC. My favorite drink is the honey green milk tea served hot with boba. I love how fresh and soft the boba is. I also like ordering their fries along with it. I like that they're open late and although they can be busy sometimes, they're always very quick to get the order out. The prices are fair, if anything on the lower end for boba vs LA. read more

Cha For Tea - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Hey, so their tea is excellent. I have never been disappointed by their tea concoctions. I especially like their fruit teas for a nice pick me up. Their food, on the other hand, has been super questionable and inconsistent. The other week, I ordered popcorn chicken to go and the baggie was so smol - I felt very slighted at the amount of chicken I was given. It didn't justify the price and didn't make any sense to the ~10ish pieces I received. Today, I had their steamed dumplings ($9.95). Wow. They were terrible - they smelled a little sour and gosh, the wonton wrapping to filling ratio was super off. That wrapping so thick. And the sauce. No bueno - sweet and lackluster, no thanks. For the 4 wontons I ate, I had to drizzle them with regular soy sauce. They sometimes send the wrong straws with some of the drinks. They sometimes miss drinks. And more so than not, their food is no good. read more

Cha For Tea - steamed chicken dumplings = $9.95 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

I've been going to Cha for Tea ever since I was a kid at both the Long Beach and Irvine UTC locations. Every time I come, I leave satisfied with my order. Today I got the popcorn chicken entree combo with honey green milk tea for only $14! The popcorn chicken was crispy and paired well with the sweet and sour sauce they provided. I'm a big fan of corn so I'm always happy when they serve it as a side for their entree. As for the drink, it wasn't overly sweet since I lessened the syrup and the green tea was strong. It made for a great lunchtime meal. It wasn't very crowded on a Sunday afternoon and so service was very quick and I left in no time! read more

Cha For Tea - popcorn chicken entree with rice and honey green milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Friendly staff! Enjoy the combo meal all the time! Always enjoy my corn with popcorn chicken and almond milk tea drink. We'll definitely keep coming back here read more

Tried their matcha soy latte and I couldn't taste any matcha. On the sweeter side so I'd reduce sweetness of you don't have a sweet tooth. Disappointed in what it was for the price read more

That guy named Rudy such terrible customer service not polite at all when closing and when ordering rushing too much chicken fire tho!!

It is so spacious inside with places to sit and hang out outside! Great for those who want to get some work done or hang out with some friends. The workers were friendly and service was pretty fast. I got the mango green tea with boba. My boyfriend and I are usually picky about our boba but it was so soft and fresh here! So much so that he came back to get a drink for himself with boba and it was still just as good. read more

Cha For Tea - Mango green tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

Good boba but I specifically asked for 3 servings of roasted boba but they only gave me 1 so I paid extra :(

came in with a friend on a friday evening & ordered popcorn chicken. it came out in 5 mins! which is usually very fast. the flavoring on the chicken was alright and i believe their sweet & sour sauce is made in house. it was only ~$5 which is super rare now a days! read more

Cha For Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

The popcorn chicken is a MUST! Cha for Tea is hard to miss at UTC since there is always a line out the door when ordering. It's definitely worth the wait. The popcorn chicken is already seasoned, so no need to get the sweet and sour sauce on the side. The most popular drink is the mango green tea. I always get this iced, but the drink will come out warm and slowly cool off. The drink is really sweet at the end, but very fruity and refreshing The milk tea with boba is also great too! Not as sweet as the mango green tea, and a great option to try something classic on the menu. read more

Cha For Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

I'm a big fan of Cha. I love all of their locations. I've had almost everything on their menu. Food wise. Not the drinks. Huge variety of possibilities here. I just keep it simple. Thai tea, no sweet. Always hits! The food is just as good. The people here are always quick and helpful. Thank for the good food and good drinks. Keep up the good work guys. read more

Cha For Tea - Thai tea. No sweet. Best ever! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Irvine, California

A staple honestly of uci utc. Always get their almond milk tea with their crispy chicken with sauce. Honestly their boba isn't rlly anything to write home about but it's acceptable. Their crispy chicken with sauce (I think it's worth it) on the other hand is addicting and what keeps bringing me back. read more