Thai Tea: I have been to this place for Boba many times. I typically get the thai tea or a thai tea smoothie. This is the first place I ever had a thai tea smoothie. It began a few years back when I was in Grad school at UCI. It was halloween, so for lunch we ate the awesome Le Diplomat and I decided to complement that meal with a drink. I get to Cha and their special was a Thai Iced Tea smoothie. I was immediatly intrigued. It was amaz - wait for it , wait for it -ing!! That was the only time I had that drink while in grad school. I went many times and asked for it and noone seemed to remember it... I went back last week and it was back on the menu. Woo Hoo!!! In general this is my top place for thai Iced tea, and I have had many a thai iced tea. Here it always come out slightly different but equally tasty. Food: I used to be under the impression that food from a tea shop had to be either gross or just dirty. But Cha changed that impression. I have now had their dumplings, sweet potato fries, crispy chicken, and the orange tofu. First the chicken dumplings are the best dumplings I have ever had. If you get a chance mix some of the chili sauce in with the sauce that comes with the dumplings. The sweet potato fries are just ok. The crispy chicken is really good for the few bites then goes downhill. The orange tofu is very surprising since I hate tofu in most situations. I typically get annoyed with tofu since I expect it to taste like cheese. But here the tofu is slightly crispy on the edge and the sauce is so good. It is definetly more expensive than a lot of other boba places but it is worth it. read more

5 Good Points - Huge variety of drinks - Really nice sweet potato fries - Fun service - Lots of magazines - I'm a sucker for their taro milk tea 5 Bad Points - Very expensive - I find the dumplings tasteless - Very loud atmosphere - Occasionally, very long wait for service/drinks/food - Weird air-blower above the door read more

Fantastic place! Great for studying, hanging out, and of course drinking bubble tea! With lots of savory foods and sweet drinks to choose from, Cha for Tea also has samples of their menu available to try at the front counter. The mango green tea is their number #1 drink! My favorite, personally, is the strawberry colada with boba. With that, the place has a very contemporary feel located within the college university district and is surrounded by a beautiful plaza. If you've never had bubble tea, here's a great first place to go to. read more

12:20 AM - Yup, that's right. The craving for a Boba drink from my GF and this was the place that was closest and it was a good choice. I called on how late they opened and Leann was cheery and helpful. They are open until 1:00am. Nice! It was packed with college kids and it was bright and lively for past midnight. The staff was very friendly and very helpful. Service was great. We ordered the mocha and green tea coolers. Very good. The green tea tasted refreshing and real. The mocha was as mocha as can be. The boba balls was abundant, donw to the last sip of my drink. Definitely would go back and try the many selections that they had. They also served food that seemed pretty inexpensive. They were offering samples of some items but I didn't get to try it. Maybe next time. You gotta check it out sometime. read more

quality wise it HURTs to say BUT it's actually better than lolicup...i know i know BUT it is a bit pricey, especially as a student :( still, a fun TGIF treat every once in a while read more

My favorite boba in town. I get the mango cooler every time with lychee jelly with three pumps of sweetener instead of 4. The best smoothies and boba/lychee I've ever had. Staff is friendly, always busy, quick to put out your order. Only downside is that this place is quite expensive (over $5 for a regular sized drink). But I'm willing to pay the higher price for my favorite drink! Great atmosphere as well. read more

Almond Milk Tea is the best thing on the face of the planet. It's real sweet, but real good. oh, and they always give me a huge crazy straw. read more

I don't get to come here often but I love it every time I do! I think our cashier was named Caitlyn. She's a sweetheart and was patience with us when taking our order and making sure we get the samples. She's the best! We got the taro milk tea and mango milk tea. The taro milk tea had the right amount of the sweetness. The mango was a bit on the sweeter side. The wait for the drinks were bearable. I'd say roughly 5 mins when we came around 10p. I really appreciate to see that they were willing to follow starbucks' customer service way in remaking the drink to your satisfaction (I haven't tried asking yet). At the self serve, they even put out the chili powder! Just wish they expand more like 7 leaves ): read more

Honeybuns didn't want the cute bear jar at snow monster. So he got a mint refresher here, which he enjoyed immensely.

Honestly one of the best boba serving places I've been to. Their boba is always so warm and chewy. But my one advice is that because their boba itself is sweet, I would recommend going for half sugar or less. The staffs there are also really sweet. read more

Green tea tapioca is the BEST. Their tapioca balls are sweet and their drinks (whether milk tea or just green/black tea) have great flavor to them. The service is friendly and attentive -- the baristas making the tapioca drinks always mention they will make any and all adjustments you want to the drink. The steamed chicken dumplings are simple and good with a delicious sauce accompanying them, and the rest of the food is pretty tasty as well - certainly not gourmet, but definitely satisfying for a quick meal. A little plus - if you pay with cash, you get a small discount! It gets really crowded with UCI students and younger kids taking lessons at the dance studio nearby on weekday afternoons, so seating is difficult and wait time for food can be longer. read more

This boba place is definitely way over-hyped. I was expecting to LOVE my honey green milk tea, but I didn't even finish my boba drink at all! It was soo soo sweet. Maybe I had an option of lessening the sugar amount, but I had no idea. The guy at the front was rushing me to order because there was a line behind me! It was probably the sweetest boba milk tea drink I've ever had. And that didn't make it pleasant at all. 2 stars is a little low - I would rate it 2.5 if I could. I don't know if I would come back to get boba milk tea here, but the food looked pretty good. I like the free samples too. Regardless, it seems like a hip little place for UCI kids to see and be seen. read more

The Honest Truth: Not my favorite boba. Too sweet and syrup-y for my liking. Free samples are nice. Nothing standout about it though. Just another boba place. The Details: It seems like there are so many boba places around that its confusing to know which ones are good and which ones are just alright. To me, this one blends in with all the rest. Drinks aren't bad, but theres nothing special that makes it stand out from all of the other boba places. The sweetness also got a little overwhelming towards the end of my drink, but I have a very small sweet tooth to begin with. read more

This is where I spent many sleepless nights, many cram sessions, and many random get togethers with college friends. Cha for tea is conveniently located across the street from UC Irvine. It is where many UCI students go to fill their boba needs despite the expensive prices. Pros: close to campus, decent boba, decent food. (The crispy chicken and sauce are good) Cons: fairly pricey for what you get, the drinks are overly sweet, and you get food that taste good but not amazing. Food is way more expensive than it should be. When I was here as a college student, I actually loved the drinks but I've been to many other boba places now and I am able to compare. If you love boba that is really sweet, this may be the place for you. I will admit though, that there signature drink, Almond milk tea, is fairly tasty and my boyfriend loves it. I just think it's a bit too sweet for my liking. Service is half/half. I've been there numerous times and I either get really good service or terrible service. Conclusion: A great place for college students to go for finals week, good location, good if you don't have a car, but if you do have a car, there are so many other good places you can go to. read more

SAMPLES GALORE!! At first I told myself I would not get lured in by the samples. But, as I walk by the store I hear, "samples, samples, do you want to try some?" And without hesitation I say, "sure!" Good thing is, they are very NICE & FRIENDLY (not pushy). KUDOS to Cha for continuously replenishing the samples; the popcorn chicken, dumplings and sweet potato fries are HOT and crispy. On top of that - they sample some of their tea drinks......OH SO REFRESHING. TID BITS: *MSG rating: 1.5/5 *Super CASUAL dine in or TAKE OUT *5% off if you pay CASH BUMMER SCOOP: *No stamp cards *None of the drinks are really kid friendly. I asked if they had any caffeine-free drinks for the kiddo and the answer was "No!" *******The FOOD GIST*********** POPCORN CHICKEN ($4ish....a bit pricey): One of the best in town. A few dry/hard pieces in the batch, but overall VERY crispy and delicious. The batter has JUST the right consistency, which gives the chicken a great CRUNCH. Well seasoned too. **you can choose your spice level. I opted no spice since my kiddo LOVES this chicken and eats most of it. Even w/o the spiciness it's still yummy. **sweet and sour sauce on the side. BOBA TEAS: they charge extra for tapioca balls. BOO! Drinks are about $5 with boba....OUCH! Like I commented in another boba review. Boba and milk tea go hand in hand...why charge extra? NOT COOL! Must admit, I sometimes pass on the drinks cuz it's a bit too pricey. At least give us a stamp card so we have incentive :) On a GOOD note, we are big fans of the MANGO GREEN TEA. It's a bit SWEET, but very refreshing. Plus the texture of the boba is made to perfection. Chewy, light and a hint of sweetness. Woo Hoo!! read more

I am hoping someone at Cha will see this review and let me know what the deal is. Look, this review is a long time coming for me. I have been to a couple different Cha locations and have never had a "bad" experience. The staff is always nice. Even during crowded times they deliver the drinks quickly enough. They have no problem remaking drinks for you. Prices are higher than other places but nothing I consider deal-breaking. The drinks are always tasty. But what is with the stomach pain? It's not just me, both my fiance and I get the pain or at the very least this almost nauseous like feeling after drinking their milk tea. It isn't the sweetener I don't believe, though it could be I suppose, because I've felt it happen just as badly with minimal to no amounts of sweet in the drink itself. I don't know. I'm not accusing them of doing anything wrong, just that something that goes into their milk tea makes me feel ill. read more

Too sweet for my sweet tooth!!! I love green milk teas and when there's a honey option, I tend to think it's healthier than syrup so I decided to try their honey green milk tea. It was sooo sweet! I normally dont like to complain so I waited for the ice to melt a bit. My friend noticed I wasn't drinking much and suggested that I go back and request more tea. They were nice about it but only added a tiny bit of tea. It was still too sweet so I went back and requested ice. A bit better. I also had a taste of their mango green tea (samples available by the register) and it was good and not too sweet. You can definitely taste the tea flavor. Next time, I'll make sure to order less sweet! read more

EDIT: 10/30/14 I take back what I said about this being my favorite boba place. Although I appreciate the samples and enjoy the drinks, I've come to realize that the sugar content in these drinks are in extreme excess. Having a high sugar tolerance and being an avid boba drinker, I caught myself having to take a break after 1/3 of a regular cup (visit #2). I was moderately disappointed in the price I paid for the boba and was left with a sugar-induced headache. Service: 5/5 - Superrr fast, but it's probably because the drinks I ordered were premade Quality: 3.5/5 - Good. But dare I say...it's been the first time I've found a boba drink to be TOO sweet. Portion: 3.5/5 - A pit priceyyyyy Parking:3/5 - Located at University Town Center, so it's always busy. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Time to announce my favorite boba place in Irvine. Having recently moved into the area, I've been looking for my go-to spot, and I think I've found it! I LOVEEED how they have a few samples of their top boba drinks for customers to try. Lollicup provides one sample for their "boba of the day" upon request. In comparison to Lollicup and 85 Degrees, I prefer the milk teas from Cha for Tea. I ordered the Honey Green Milk Tea and the Thai Tea. I was extremely please with the quality and flavor. However, I think I got a bit of a headache because of the sugar content (not that I'm complaining, just that it's the first time it's happened). The cashier, Kristine (I believe) was super friendly and gave me a 10% off coupon for my next visit since it was my first time there. The card/coupon contained a list of their top five drinks/appetizers, which include: crispy chicken, chicken/veggie dumplings, beef/chicken noodle soup, orange chicken entree, and sweet potatoes fries for appetizer. And mango green tea, almond milk tea, California green tea, strawberry colada, and boba milk tea. The only down side was the price. $3.66 for a regular milk tea, $0.47 extra for boba. I believe it was $8.89 for two regular sized drinks with boba. Nonetheless, I was pleased and will definitely be back! Location wise, it's conveniently placed at the UTC plaza near UCI. Parking can be a little tough at times but never as busy as the Jamboree Diamond Plaza. read more

Boba review only: Their drink selection is very minimal in my option as well as their add-on choices. My top picks would be the honey green milk tea and the almond milk tea. Both very flavorful and thirst-quenching. However, the prices are a little too expensive for what it is. Food: greasy and unimpressive but it's a tea house. Staff: Some are nice, welcoming and helpful. Others, don't even want to be there and you can tell by their demeanor. I'm ok with skipping this place. read more

Food: it is ok. pretty expensive actually Drinks: too sweet. and expensive as well Even after coming here for 6 years, i still feel the same and dread when my friends want to meet here... read more

Okay, I have a confession: I used to work at Middle Earth, one of the dorming communities at UCI my 2nd year of college. As one of the perks of being on student staff, we got free size upgrades for drinks at Cha for Tea. They put a little sticker of their logo on the back of our ID cards and we had to just flash it at the register. It was only supposed to be valid for the year we were working. I ended up abusing that benefit up until i graduated. First, I was a bit nervous they would ask questions, but they never did and I proceeded to flash my ID card with a quickness to the cashier. Do I feel guilty for taking advantage? HELL NO. Cha is pretty pricey when compared to other boba places like Lollicup. I was just a poor college student trying to get by. I gotta admit though, the customer service is top notch; the barista always told me to come back if my drink needed an adjustment, but the drinks were fine already. I'm so glad I got that off my chest. read more

many, many, many years ago I tried my FIRST drink with BOBA in it and that was from Cha For Tea! I totally forgot about this place until just recently and i've been back twice in the past month for some black lychee tea with boba. the tea is good...just a tad sweet and I keep forgetting to ask them to hold back on the sweetner. the boba balls are nice and chewy ...the service can be a little better but I don't expect it to be because they are all probably college kids who dont give a rats beeehind. the atmosphere is too young college/asian for me...im getting old! but the teas are pretty good...I probably won't go out of my way to come here again but nothing really to gripe about! btw they keep tryna offer you samples here of fried snacks and milk tea!! please dont be pushy! read more

About 12 years ago, I wrote three newspaper articles covering this place for the Corona del Mar HS paper. Their popcorn chicken and almond milk teas were huge for me. But the faces behind the counter have moved on, and so have I. Cha's saccharine drinks fail to inspire in the face of a wealth of other flavors competing for my drink dollars. It was a good run. read more

Very good, refreshing teas, they have a verity of choices also have food and the location is really cleaned. Friendly staff. Quick service.

Hot diggity, I'm in love! I never leave OC without my boo -- black almond soy milk tea (hot or cold) or mango green tea with regular boba. Why pick a favorite between the two, I have enough lovin' for both. Pricey. Use green products (it's the future) then the pleasure will be worth it. ;) read more

Their milk tea is very good when it's made correctly, but often than not, it's just too watery (or overly filled with ice.) Their store layout is unconventional and the lights are very bright, so I don't like the ambiance. I usually just pick up a milk tea and see a movie at the nearby art house theater. read more

Oh Man! This is one of the place I really wish to give it 1/2 star, but I can't! =( I'm sorry but I will have to give only 3 because I am not really a fan of Cha For Tea. Love that it opens late Staff are FRIENDLY (over the top friendly!) All the drinks I tried were good It's Loud and SMALL (I meant: small) Great selections for food (although I have only tried the crispy chicken which was good) read more

I've actually never had any of their drinks, but I did like the meal I had there. They're fairly vegetarian friendly, but not too much. I didn't have much of a choice, but the fried tofu meal I got was actually pretty yummy. I would have given Cha 4 stars, but it's crazy crowded and I could barely get up to get forks/water/leave with the tables and people so crammed together. read more

I've been going to Cha for Tea for over ten years. And, though my drink choice has changed overtime - my love for this place hasn't. My favorite drink at Cha is the jade green milk tea - I love it. Their food here is pretty delicious too. The employees are extremely friendly and courteous, so that makes me love this place even more awesome. The most important thing about a business is customer satisfaction and I am definitely satisfied. I will return to this place for as long as it stands. read more

Cha for Tea, where have you been all my life? I always thought that the Garden Grove/Westminster area had the best boba places, but I was wrong. Cha for Tea is where it's at! After hearing rave reviews about this place, my boyfriend decided to stop by around 11pm on a Friday night after dining at Gypsy Den. I love how they are open until 1am, super convenient when you want a boba fix! It was kinda busy when we got there, but not too overwhelming. There was a girl serving food samples of their popcorn chicken and this wonton thing. The chicken was good, it convinced me to get it! I also love how they have drink samples! They had a sample of the almond milk tea, the honey green tea, this rose tea drink, and the honey green milk tea. My bf got the honey green milk tea after trying it! Super smart idea to put out samples, it sure convinced us! I'm not sure if they put out new samples every day, but it'd be cool if they did :) The cashier was friendly and nice, we were greeted when we came in (bonus points for good customer service). We got 5% off our purchase because we paid in cash, so that was pretty cool. I also got this stamp card thing, I haven't used it yet but it looks promising! Our drinks came out pretty fast, which was surprising since it was semi crowded. The guy who took my order remembered my order and didn't even have to call it out, he personally came up to me and handed it. I thought that was super sweet, and made the service more personal. Now for a rundown of our purchases: *Almond milk tea: Yummmmmy, not too powdery or sweet at all! They don't over skimp on the boba, and the boba is soft and still warm. The large was a generous size, it was worth paying for. *Honey green milk tea: Better than the one at Volcano Tea, which is the only other one I've tried before. My bf really enjoyed it, though it isn't sweet enough for my taste. It's great for people who like the green tea taste though! *Popcorn chicken: OMG SO GOOD! The pieces are so big and juicy, not puny like other places. It's crispy and warm! Their sauce is also really good! It's unlike any sauce I've had before! The perfect combo of sweet and sourness, it doesn't compete with the flavor of the chicken :) We were also able to find seats fairly easily, which was nice. I'd give this place 4 1/2 stars, just not sure about the other half since it IS more expensive and I haven't tried any other drinks yet. I definitely wouldn't hesitate to give it 5 stars if all the other drinks turn out to be as good! Seriously, I cannot drink boba or eat popcorn chicken the same way after Cha, no other places around here (Volcano Tea, Lollicup, Tapioca Express, etc) seem to compare! Cha is the epitome of the perfect boba place - all other places should take notes and strive to be like them! :) read more

Stopped in here because I was in the area and craving a milk tea for my drive back to SD... First thing to note: this place is a little bit pricey! They were super busy when I went; however, I was still helped AND served in a timely fashion, which is really impressive. I ordered the almond black milk tea with boba. ($4.45) The boba was really good. The tea was the sweetest milk tea I have ever had. Next time I would ask for half sugar. TIp: Bring cash, you get a discount. read more

I used to LOVE Cha for Tea, but i'm not too big of a fan anymore. When I do go, I get either a) honey green milk tea or b) early grey milk tea. My favorite ones to get. (I always ask for them to make it less sweet because if I don't, it's overwhelmingly sweet). Although I do come time to time, Cha is too expensive and sweet to come as much as I used to. read more

Cha For Tea. Pros: - Convenience. Super close to UCI. Only boba place that is walking distance from campus. - Yummy drinks and food. I actually do like their drinks, esepcially the mango green tea. Their food is also pretty good. - Free samples. If all you need to satisfy your green tea/popcorn chicken craving is one small sample cup and one piece of chicken, this is perfect for you! Cons: - EXPENSIVE. This place isn't that amazing that everything needs to be super overpriced. Broke college students shouldn't be spending whatever money they may have on overpriced boba drinks. read more

LOVE this place. I always stop by when I'm in the area. I only ever get the Almond Milk Tea, cold or hot depending on the weather, I prefer hot cause it makes the boba extra gummy ; ) Perfectly sweet, creamy and the black tea they use is phenomenal. (I got some of the loose black tea as a birthday gift last year...yum yum!) I also adore the spicy crispy chicken with the sweet n' sour dipping sauce, plus the fact that you can customize the spiciness. I've also had the sweet potato fries which are pretty bangin' and some kind of crispy dumpling. It can get pretty packed, but they have outside seating all over the place, so no biggie. I like that they offer a cash discount too. read more

Pros: Variety. There is a huge selection of teas and other boba worthy drinks. The food selection looks pretty good too, although I've never had any of their food items. And location... it is not DEEP into Irvine. This is a good spot if you live in Newport Beach on the cusp of Irvine or if you live around the UCI campus. Samples offered at the door. Awesome. (BTW to other yelpers who said it didn't make sense that they offer samples to customers who already stepped into the business rather than offering samples outside to people walking by to entice them in.... many businesses have to abide by the lease terms of the property they do business in. Many places stipulate that a business may not place any signage, employees, materials or samples outside of their lease line! So just appreciate the fact that they are trying to offer something extra for their patrons!) Cons: They are always packed! The menus are placed into a holder and by the time you open one up and read it, you have already been hustled to the front of the line. When they call out orders, say you order 4 drinks for you and a few friends, the drinks are called out in whatever order they are completed in rather than all together. Sometimes they seem confused about which orders have been completed and which ones have yet to go out. Inconsistency. Sometimes you get large boba, sometimes they are the small tapioca balls... whatever kind they have on hand. In general, I like this place, the drinks are good but not outstanding, but consistentency is an issue and the prices could be better. They are open late which is a plus when you get that late night boba craving! read more

You're not a UCI student if you haven't been to Cha 4 Tea. Everyone goes through their UCI initiation here. I came back to this place 6 years post graduation from UCI and it still hasn't changed with the crowd. Same students and same busy-ness. I ordered the Strawberry Milk Tea with boba that came out a little too sweet with too much sugar. Next time I might want to try a lighter tea. The environment is loud and crowded so don't expect to really get any studying done here. Outside there are some seating areas but it is usually taken up by a few of the many UCI student organizations that are having their meetings. If you're in the area, check it out. I would much rather go to Tea Station on Irvine Center Drive and Culver. A little of a a further drive but you can avoid the large college crowds and drink some real tea. read more

Have you ever tried the fresh oj with jasmine tea?? Pretty bomb. The nice employee asked me if I would like a sample and she won me over. I can't say much except that I do like their teas and the popcorn chicken. Come for the tea.. or the cute girls... or boys.. or whatever floats your boat. read more

This is one of my favorite boba places in Irvine! Their honey green milk tea boba is to die for and their popcorn chicken is amazing! We've been there over 5 times already and never been disappointed. We had a little overcharge problem, but the manager dealt with it nicely and we were refunded. Food, service, and cleanliness were all great! We will be back! read more

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

One of my favorite places to get tea! My absolute favorite is the iced Royal Milk Tea! It's basically Earl Grey tea + milk tea so it has a hint of tea while getting that creaminess! It's so good. I've tried their slushes and other flavored green teas and they're all really delicious. Their popcorn chicken is good too! Cha is a bit more pricey than other boba places such as Lollicup, TapEx, etc. but I can totally understand why. The quality of the drinks here are like none other. Worth that extra dollar or two to get a premium flavored drink! read more

Hands down my favorite boba place in all of Irvine. Positives: 1) late night openings! Probably one of the only places I know in Irvine that stays open till 1 AM. 2) their boba is phenomenal! Soft & chewy and decadent, it's unlike boba I've ever tasted before. 3) mango iced tea is without a doubt their most popular and also their best made drink there. You can also adjust the sweetness if you find that it's too sweet for you! (My personal favorites are the hot almond milk tea & the peach iced green milk tea) 4) pay in cash & you get your drink much cheaper! Not sure how much exactly but it makes a small difference! Negatives: 1) price wise it's definitely one of the more pricey boba shops in Irvine but you're definitely paying for the good stuff, I don't mind forking over an extra dollar for this stuff 2) food is ehhhh so I usually just go for the drinks & go elsewhere to grub. I go here more than I go to any other boba place around. It's amazing, 10/10 would recommend!! read more