Ana T.

I always only get one thing here: dong ding oolong with mousse. I got 0% sweet and it was perfect with the sugar from the mousse. I used to get 50% but always felt it was too sweet. I usually get it with taro balls but turns out it was seasonal when i came few days ago. It definitely didnt feel seasonal bc i always get taro balls idk why they stopped it i was so sad. Pls bring back the taro balls :'(

Nadine C.

Refreshing beverage in Alhambra, Los Angeles, California... We were walking along the street when I recognized the name of this shop: Chicha San Chen I had been to the Las Vegas location with my sister because her daughter highly recommended it. Chicha San Chen is originally from Taiwan and is such a premium product that it has won awards that are like Michelin Star quality. There was a long line. I skipped it by ordering online. While waiting for my order, I saved a table and a bench for my friends, then I used the convenient restroom! This is a really clean and bright place! When I got my passionfruit green tea, it was packaged so neatly in a to-go bag! The flavor of tea is strong and the fruitiness is not overpowering nor over sweet, but just right!

RoseMary F.

We placed our order and paid on the kiosk at the counter, there was a good selection of flavors and special seasonal drinks too. This Tea Shop hand-presses the teas and herbs for each individual order on their Teapresso machine. You can observe the process through the glass window along the front counter. There are five roasting/brew levels: Light, Light-Medium, Medium, Medium Heavy or Heavy. -Choose the type of tea: Milk, Fruit, Black or Green Tea. -Flavors: Honey, Brown Sugar, Mousse, Oolong, Passion Fruit. -Topping Add on: Bubble, Taro Ball, Coconut Jelly or Grass Jelly. -Final step is to choose sweetness level and amount of ice. I bought one of their seasonal teas: Creamy Pineapple Tart made with Oat Milk, bits of Pineapple pieces, Mousse and salted cookie crumb topping. This is a special promotion, not on the regular menu. They had photos of their Pineapple series, with the name Tart, you might think you're getting a dessert instead of a drink. It was perfect, not overly sweet and I would order this again. The shop is spacious, seating along the left side of the room, restrooms located in the back (right side doorway). Sincerely, Rosemary

Valerie N.

While waiting for our reservation, we ventured to this tea spot because we were parched. Good size crowd in this very modern setup. Offered samples once you got to the counter. The flavor of the day was a honey oolong. I got the Iced Pineapple Green Tea with boba. Seasonal flavor. Did have to wait a few for our tea but worth it. Loved the way it was presented and tasted great!

Mindy Z.

02/28/26 Saturday Award winning Taiwanese milk tea shop. Liked the transparency with the glass walls to allow you to see workers crafting the drinks. A bit pricey for the amount you get. The drink cups are on the smaller side. 9/10 Taro Milk Tea - light sweet is perfect because the taro paste and balls are sweetened. Just wish I could customize so it is milk instead of cream. So delicious and addicting but small portion size. Can still taste the tea despite the cream and taro. 8/10 Dong Ding Oolong Tea - probably should've gotten full sweet as it was very lightly sweetened at 75% sweetness. However, you can definitely taste the high quality loose leaf tea through the milk. Long wait, probably because today was the lunar new year festival happening on the same street this shop is situated. About 20 minutes in line to order because only one order kiosk and another 20 minutes to receive our drink. No one mans the orders, only workers to make drinks. Parking is limited because it is on Main Street.

Winny H.

This was my first time here Chicha San Chen (located on Main street) in Alhambra as I was looking for a tea place. This is quite an interesting store. Inside ambiance is clean and modern and yet still somewhat inviting. You can tell that is place offers a more elevated, tea-focused boba experience rather than your typical sugary drink shop with cute decor. I really like the service here. The staff is friendly, patient, and was able to explain their tea brewing process and also gave some good recomendations. I got lucky as there wasn't anyone after me so I could take my time and ask questions. One of the biggest highlights here is the quality of their drink. I have never had such high quality, freshly brewed on the spot, tea beverage. Usually those boba places have premade tea in stock ready for customers so that they can crank out their orders fast. But here you can tell they take their time in seeping the tea and making your drink. Each drink is brewed fresh to order using their signature "teaspresso" method, which really brings out the depth of the tea flavors . I got their Honey Osmanthus Oolong Tea that was somewhat light, floral, and with a deep oolong flavor. Loved it! I can definitely taste the pemium tea leaves, and the drinks taste smoother and less artificial compared to many other boba spots. I also got their Cassia Black Tea with Mousse that included a creamy foam top. Interesting combo for sure. Side stree parking only and it did take a few minutes to find a spot during peak times, but it's manageable. Will drop by again next time I am here in SGV!

Wing Y.

I've been going back and forth to Arcadia a lot this year, and because we regularly go to May Mei and Chang's Garden, it's been easy to sneak out, place my tea orderat the kiosk, go back to finish the meal, then get my tea. My usual order is mango oolong with grass jelly, which is still sweet enough for me at 0% sweetness. They take the tea seriously here - each cup is brewed upon ordering so it's not fast. They also have some cute twine to go around the top of the cup. The sizes are on the smaller side. They open at noon, so I've been too early to get something a few times. Heading back to LA again this week, I will probably end up here again at some point!

Fortuna N.

Wow I get the hype of this place, they have high quality tea for their boba and their machines prove it. The place is very pristine, clean, and modern with their design and seating. If you take it to go, they give you their classic boba carrier with string. I don't really like taro but I LOVE their taro series. I got their: Taro Milk Tea (5/5): Which comes with their black tea blended with cream to create a milk tea base, thick slab of taro paste at the bottom, with their chewy taro balls. The black milk tea base was perfectly sweetened and went so well with the taro paste. Mix it up and it tasted even better blended throughout. I also love the chewiness of their taro balls that was flavored so well. I would come back to try their other drinks!

Theresa L.

An Honest Review of "Chicha San Chen" in Los Angeles As someone who values culinary quality and the finer details of life, I always enjoy exploring diverse food and beverage establishments. However, my visit today to "Chicha San Chen" in Alhambra, Los Angeles, resulted in an incredibly disappointing--and frankly, failing--customer experience. Beneath its over-packaging and fame from Taiwan, this establishment fails severely in fundamental customer service and care. Company Policy Over Customer Health The most baffling aspect is their insistence on prioritizing "company policy" over customer health! What I found most unacceptable during this experience was the store's arrogant attitude toward health and environmental requests. I prefer drinking hot tea. It is well known that commercial paper or plastic cups rely on chemical linings to prevent leaks. When exposed to high-temperature liquids, these cups can easily release microplastics and harmful chemicals, posing a potential threat to human health. Because of this, despite my fatigue, I walked all the way back to my car under the hot sun to fetch my own stainless steel thermos, fully expecting to enjoy a cup of hot tea in the safest and most environmentally friendly way. To my surprise, when I made the perfectly reasonable request to have the freshly brewed hot tea poured directly into my thermos, I was met with a cold refusal from the staff. Citing a rigid "company policy," they insisted that the scalding hot tea must first be poured into their disposable cup, handed to me, and then I would have to transfer it into my thermos myself. This absurd operational logic not only entirely defeats the purpose of bringing a reusable cup but also ensures that the high-temperature tea still comes into contact with the chemical coating, directly threatening consumer health. When I tried to reason with them from a health perspective, all I received was an uncompromising, utterly indifferent refusal. Left with no choice, I canceled my hot tea order. The business philosophy of a restaurant that refuses to respect its customers' basic health needs and lacks any flexibility is truly hard to commend. Soulless Service and Artificial Flavors Their service devoid of warmth and mediocre flavors make one realize that their reputation is merely a façade. The soul of the food and beverage industry lies in "people" and "flavor," yet this store performs poorly in both regards. First is the service attitude. The staff throughout the store acted like machines executing commands; there were absolutely no smiles on their faces, nor could I feel any warmth or hospitality. In a modern dining environment that values the art of hospitality, this icy service demeanor is highly uncomfortable. Second, not wanting to ruin the mood, I tasted the iced tea ordered by my family members. I initially thought a brand that prides itself on refinement would showcase the true depth of its tea leaves. Instead, upon tasting it, I found a distinct artificial taste in the flavoring that completely masked the natural, sweet aftertaste the tea should possess. For anyone who truly understands tea and cares about flavor, this is absolutely unacceptable. Overhyped Atmosphere Lastly, I must mention their interior design. Many Taiwanese chain tea shops of this kind advertise their spatial design as elegant, comfortable, and perfect for gatherings or romantic dates. In reality, the overall environment of this store felt incredibly ordinary and stiff. It completely lacked the premium feel they boast about, let alone any sense of romance or comfort. Conclusion A successful food and beverage brand can never be sustained solely by superficial marketing or rigid SOPs. When a store loses its respect for customer health and environmental consciousness, while simultaneously failing to provide sincere service, professional explanations, or natural and pure flavors, it has lost its core value to establish a foothold in the culinary world. This experience at "Chicha San Chen" was undoubtedly a massive letdown and deeply regrettable.

Pui Y.

Stopped by during the LNY festival. There was a line and some wait for the tea. The decorations made a relaxing atmosphere. I went to the CNY booths to kill time while waiting for the drink. It's great that it's in a busy area. Downside is that it is not close to the parking structure.

Amy L.

My favorite drinks are back. The only time i would come to chicha is for their taro series. I can't decide which one is better betweem the milk tea or the fresh milk. But the taro paste and balls are what makes the drink amazing. Wished it was permanent but since it's not that's fine. Save me money since drinks are overpriced. When you come in, you line up to place your order on the kiosk. Then you wait for for drinks to be called. But most of the time they make alot of orders then call people to pick them up so i just show them my receipt instead of waiting. Otherwise you waste more time since drinks take a while.

Sandra L.

As always, I love Chicha San Chen for their aesthetics and tea. It has been over a year since I've been to one and this is my first time at their Alhambra location. The interior of this location is huge! Very clean and open. We got lucky and there was no line on a Saturday afternoon. We ordered Cassia with Mousse ($7.25), Green Tea with Passion ($7.25), Taro Ball Tea Latte ($8.25), Dong Ding Oolong Tea ($6). I forgot that the mousse has a sweet flavoring to it that makes it a bit too sweet even for this sweet tooth. Their drinks are very expensive for what it is. The size is on the smaller side and for a basic tea with no milk or add-ons, its already $6. The tea does taste good, but nothing too great. Overall, I think I still like Chicha San Chen for what it is, but I wouldn't frequent them all the time.

Belinda T.

I've been to both the SG location as well as the Alhambra one quite a few times and it's always been a consistent experience in terms of service and quality. The best part of Chicha San Chen is their teas--super fragrant no matter which tea you order. My absolutely favorite is the Green Milk Tea with Taro Balls, and it comes with a refreshing jasmine tea paired with chewy soft taro balls that aren't too sweet (best Asian compliment ofc). This last time I also purchased some Lishan Oolong tea (light roast and medium dark roast) and wow, it bloomed into whole tea leaves, not just scraps. Pretty good quality. Went back on a weekend and they had BOGO 75g Lishan Oolong--$40 for 150g, what a steal! The staff here are always really polite and nice, and this particular store is huge with plenty of seating spaces. There's a free parking garage behind Gen right around the corner.