Chicha San Chen, hmm.. it feels like they're popping up everywhere now! This location though is probably one of my favs because it's convenient. I love parking at Sprouts and walking down Main Street (mostly to go grab some Chicken Bun Bun) and drinking boba after. It's honestly pretty hard to compare boba shops nowadays because there are so many and honestly the prices are so high now... Chicha is no different, I think we spent $33 on 4 drinks.. at about $8+ per regular sized drink, I'm not sure if I would crave coming back on a regular basis. I contemplated giving them 4 stars because the boba was actually very fresh. The consistency was good and that's not always found everywhere. However, the oolong tea flavor seemed very light. I don't think I'd randomly crave Chicha so I couldn't justify the 4 either. If I end up here, I'm content to order something, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. read more

Chicha San Chen - Osmanthus Oolong milk tea, boba milk tea, and Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

Idk. I wanted to like this place a lot based on the reviews but my milk tea was just mid. I ordered the first item in the menu which was their milk tea with boba, lightly sweetened and lite ice. However, the boba changed the flavor of my tea to overly early sweet. Do non or slightly sweetened tapioca balls even exist anymore? The cup had a sleeve with a rope handle that felt like my cup was going to fall apart and just have my milk tea splatter everywhere. I didn't trust it would hold my cup in place and I wasn't about to lose out on my $9 like that so I held it like I would with a normal cup. The staff was friendly and the place was pretty big for a boba spot. It was clean and asthetically pleasing. No bathroom for customers tho, huge 1 star off! So overall, I wanted to like it but it was just ok. read more

Getting here with easy with plenty of structure, street, or plaza park. The inside is usually clean and there's some seating along the wall. You'll immediately smell the tea upon entering. The staff are quick and professional. They will occasionally do tea demonstrations to try various types. The drinks arrive at a good pace. It can get busy at times though. The menu is expansive but also fairly simple. The green tea honey has been refreshing, flavorful and just at the correct sweetness level. I always crave to return here for a nice simple tea. It's worth a try. read more

Chicha San Chen - Green tea with honey - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

Pretty spacious inside with bench seating and tables. Not really a place for big groups with the way the seats are set up. When you order, you can choose your sweetness, ice, milk/cream, and toppings. Both the dong ding and the osmanthus oolong tea had a great tea flavor. For the dong ding, I got light sweet but probably should've went with perfect. Light is definitely less than 50% sweet. I'd recommend not getting coconut jelly with the dong ding as the coconut jelly actually says (pineapple) on the receipt and threw off the overall taste of the drink. Instead, I'd opt for the Konjac jelly as that taste more like crystal boba. My wife got the osmanthus oolong tea and it was very refreshing. read more

Chicha San Chen - Left - osmanthus oolong tea with mango Right - dong ding oolong tea with milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

We decided to get some tea after lunch since we didn't see a line out the door. However, when we went in, all the tables were occupied and there's a short line to order. The sign shows wait time is 20-25 minutes but we still decided to try our luck. The shop is clean and chic. They offer tea merchandise at the shop as well. We ordered a green tea with konjac jelly (light sugar and less ice) and a peach green tea with peach bites and konjac jelly (light sugar and less ice). The wait time was accurate at 22 minutes from the time we order to receiving our tea. So take that into consideration if you are in a hurry. The green tea tastes really good and you can tell it's high quality tea. Light sugar and less ice was perfect for me. My friend really liked her peach green tea as well. Btw they offer free konjac jelly for every drink in the month of May. I highly recommend it. It's chewy like boba and seems like a healthier alternative to boba. read more

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#111 in my Teaholic Diaries. I tried the San Gabriel location years ago, during the height of the pandemic, and I remember I didn't love my drinks, though I can't recall what they were. Since it's been a while, I decided to give this new location a try. This Alhambra location is a spacious shop right on Main Street. Almost everything about the shop was relaxing - the music, the lighting, the minimalist decor - but then you hear a deafening electronic audio letting customers know their order is ready, and it was beyond distracting and disruptive. It actually reminded me of being at the DMV. Haha. Disconcerting atmosphere aside, the drinks were on point. The creamy lemon tart was the perfect treat to end my day. I've never had a tea based drink that tastes just like a lemon cheesecake. I'm still surprised by how comparable the drink was to the actual dessert. It was certainly decadent, and an excellent dessert tea. The honey osthmanthus oolong was also a solid choice. ****************** My Ratings: 1 Star: Terrible; just thinking about it makes me angry. 2 Stars: Wasn't a fan so Not likely to return. 3 Stars: Meh. Average. Might return if others drag me. 4 Stars: Yum! Likely to return. 5 Stars: Amazing! Would plan my day around it. read more

Chicha San Chen - Honey oolong & Creamy lemon tart - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

My favorite tea (boba tea) in SGV and this location in particular because it's spacious and the staff is on it. No parking structure for this location because it's on Main street but there are parking lots adjacent and street parking available. My Go-To if I'm ever in the area. Freshly brewed tea of premium quality and taste. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

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They have a total of 8 tables and there are outlets to charge your electronics. They play soft instrumental music and have a restroom for customers. Staff was very polite. When it was our turn to order, we were offered free smaples to try. I love this since it can help with the decision making process from their expansive menu. Overall drinks are pricy for the only small size they offer but quality makes up for it. Great tasting fruit teas and a great place to work since most people take their drinks to go. read more

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As a Taiwanese, I'm genuinely thrilled to enjoy a cup of quality tea from Taiwan--Chicha San Chen. Though the storefront in Alhambra may look modest, stepping inside reveals a spacious and elegant interior. The soft color palette and minimalist yet tasteful decor create a cozy and upscale atmosphere. There's a wide selection of drinks available, with options to customize everything from tea base, flavor, ice level, and sweetness to various toppings. The staff are also warm and attentive, and you can tell from the little details that they truly care about the customer experience. Los Angeles has countless tea shops, but in my opinion, Chicha San Chen offers the highest quality and best-tasting tea! The long lines are absolutely justified--you'll understand why after just one sip! read more

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I'm a loyal customer of CHICHA San Chen on Main St. in Alhambra, but I was disappointed with my experience yesterday. My drink tasted noticeably watered down and lacked the rich tea aroma I usually enjoy. While waiting for my order, I noticed the staff member pour freshly brewed tea into my cup. When it didn't all fit, the remaining brewed tea was simply poured down the drain instead of adjusting the drink properly. It seemed the water-to-tea ratio was off, resulting in a diluted drink and unnecessary waste. I truly enjoy this brand and hope management will look into drink consistency and provide additional staff training if needed. I'd love to see this location return to the high standards that have kept me coming back. read more

This location was so busy (long wait times), but sooo good. If you're willing to wait a bit, I'd say it's definitely worth it! The mango osmanthus oolong tea was to die for - any of their mango options are solid. The konjac jelly was good as well and a unique option - haven't seen this at many other boba stores. I would 100% come back if I was in the area! read more

Chicha is my favorite boba place. The teas are freshly brewed, the tapioca has the perfect texture, and you can truly taste the tea--unlike other places that taste artificial. I first discovered Chicha in Texas and was so excited to find it again in California. The employees were very helpful, the space was spotless, and my drink came out perfect. Bonus points for being right across the street from Eat's Sushi! read more

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Bubble milk tea with 50% sugar has always been my favorite drink from Chicha San Chen! Luckily we made it during the Thanksgiving holidays and got the stirring cup as a gift. Service was quick and we loved the extra gift! read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

I've tried different locations before but was in the area looking for something refreshing so I settled for the grape osmanthus tea. You can either order through the staff or using the kiosk (kiosk was faster for me). It was delightful! Perfectly sweetened and I could see this being nice on a warm summer day. Packaging is cute but maybe seems a little unnecessary. Lots of open space inside, but limited seating. Great tea! read more

Chicha San Chen - Grape osmanthus tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

This place has great tea! Unfortunately the lady who works here is so rude. I ordered 12 drinks and paid over $100 and she was being so rude as if she was not happy that she and her team had to work. She was demanding I buy bags for the drinks . I was standing waiting and that seemed to upset her as well she told me take a seat you order to much you have to wait. Very imperfection and rude. read more

SO HAPPY another one opened in the 626. Especially one that is not a tiny cramped shop and that has some parking nearby. From what it looks like, they're HOPEFULLY going to follow the same direction as the Cupertino on in NorCal. As this is location as mobile ordering and tea tasting session, and up until this point, I have NOT seen that at the RH or SGV Chicha (though the website says there's mobile ordering, I've never had success getting it to work for RH...). There's actually seating in this one and LOTS of workers to attempt to speed up the process as much as possible. They do still use the PA system to call out orders, but makes sense since it can get quite packed in there. Another plus is that they are PET friendly. Hopefully one day I can test that out to see if it means my lizard too and not just furry pets like dogs and maybe a cat. I have been here twice already and have gotten their Dong Ding Oolong Tea and Cassia Black Tea with Mousse. I only got less ice on both, but didn't have to adjust the sweetness at all, which I usually do at other boba places. Nice milky, creaminess without being overwhelmingly sweet, but you can still taste the brewed tea to it too. Makes it so much harder not to just down the entire drink all at once. Here's hoping that I can try their tea tasting one day and that the other locations become less...nightmarish. read more

Well crafted passionfruit green tea at 75%. I was worried it would be too sweet - but it's perfectly balanced with sweet and tart sensations. Green tea flavor comes through nicely. You can see how well it's been shaken with the foam build up. Friendly service - always appreciated. I'd come back for sure. read more

Chicha San Chen - Passionfruit green tea - excellent at 75% - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

This location seemed less busy compared to the SG location or maybe it was because it was a rainy day. Very clean and modern inside. Can order in like or order online. Each tea is made fresh to order so takes awhile. I tried the osmanthus milk tea with boba (less sweet) and with less ice. It was good! Nice floral flavor. Didn't feel as worth it when I waited in a long line last time, but quite enjoyable this time from this location. I ordered online and they said my number would be called but I didn't notice them call it. I went up to the area and asked and it looks like my drink was ready and set aside so maybe check in when you order online! read more

Went here to catch up with some family as my son and I were visiting from out-of-town. With 5 adults and 2 kids, we were able to find a table in the back and move the benches around so we could all sit and chat. I ordered the Organic Milk w/ Brown Sugar Bubble (no caffeine), and it was sooo yum. The boba was warm and chewy and not too sweet. Definitely the spot to go especially after AYCE at Road to Seoul! read more

Went during weekend afternoon, the line was not too long, but it took me 45 minutes wait for the drink. I ordered the seasonal mango slushie with cream, 4.5/5. You cannot adjust sweetness or add toppings, but i think it's already perfect as is. No parking lot, can do street parking. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

I tried the Dong Ding Oolong Milk tea and it was so good! The oolong tea has a really nice nutty and earthy flavor. The boba was soft and chewy and the perfect consistency for me. They are one of the better boba's I've had, and I would definitely come back! I tried coming here last weekend around 3pm and it was crazy busy. It was going to take 40 min for the drink, so I decided to try again this weekend. There was no wait around 12:30pm, so I recommend coming in closer to their opening time if you don't want to wait. read more

Chicha San Chen - Dong ding oolong milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

I finally dropped by to get some tea from here! There was no line when I went in (lucky!). Interior is very clean and spacious. When I placed the order, the cashier repeated what I ordered, and one of the things she mentioned was about the amount of ice. I always forget to ask for less ice, so I'm thankful for that! I got the Osmanthus Oolong Tea with Honey. It was perfectly sweet and refreshing after lunch. read more

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Solid tea option in the 626! And great that it is on Main Street in Alhambra now. Prime location in my opinion. Is it the best of the best? Well I think boba and milk tea is very subjective. So I think there are other options just as good in the area, but each specialize in something different than another. What I like about Chicha is strong tea brews and very flavorful/rich mousse/foam on top. They also have konjac jelly as a topping option to those who may not like boba or other toppings- this sets them apart since many places don't offer this! The line has died down in my opinion, maybe different during peak hours. But when I went on a Friday afternoon around 2-3pm there was barely a line. read more

Chicha San Chen - Dong ding oolong with konjac jelly. 0 percent sugar. Mousse sweetened drink. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

These boba holders are so cute! Everyone was so nice and the tea seems pretty authentic. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

First time visiting this location, it's much bigger with more seating & faster service than the San Gabriel location. They serve tea from Taiwan, the price is high for the size of the drinks but you're paying for quality. They use a special technique to measure & brew tea. We enjoyed our drinks: Passion Fruit Green Tea & Lemon Condensed Milk with Mango (non-caffeinated). The drinks were delicious, you can taste the tea flavor. Will definitely return next time we're in the area. read more

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CHICHA has amazing tea and is absolutely worth the wait. We waited about 20 minutes, but it didn't feel too long. They use a "teaspresso" machine that supposedly incorporates AI to press the tea like an espresso machine. I'm not sure how it works, but the result is incredible. I got the osmanthus oolong with mango, and it was so, so good. The tea flavor was rich and fresh, and the mango added the perfect amount of sweetness. I also got their konjac jelly, which was really good, almost like boba but with a softer, jelly like texture. It added a nice twist to the drink without being too chewy. I'd definitely come back to try more flavors. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

Small boba shop in Alhambra with really great tea selection. I got the bubble milk tea with light sugar less ice and it was perfect, really strong tea flavor! read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

Omg is this the Michelin Boba place? Well, no, kind'a, sorta yes? There is no Michelin boba (despite what some influencers may be telling you) but Chicha did win many awards, including the Highest International Authority iTQi certification for quality which I guess is where this catchy phrase came from since people falsely equate it to Michelin stars. So now that we got that out of the way, let's actually talk about the tea. Chicha San Chen is originally from Taiwan with decades of experience and is now opening stores all over North America. Their focus is on freshly brewed tea for each order, using their super fancy machines (and what l've noticed as a bottleneck of their production capacity and speed, leading to the long lines). They try to redefine the experience by focusing on elevating every step of the tea making progress, both from an execution standpoint and their brewing, as well as, the quality of the ingredients. It's all very artisanal and aesthetically pleasing. Because they focus so much on sourcing and quality of the tea leaves, they do have somewhat limited options. It's quality over quantity here. But trust me, the options they do have are worth it. Everything down to the cute handles for the cups is focused on providing with a curated experience that differentiates itself from most tea spore, including many of the premium boba places around. Depending on when you go, there may be long lines or no lines at all. Bottom line, even if you remove the ridiculous Michelin claim, Chicha delivers on highly elevated yet easily approachable high quality and hand crafted tea experience. It's pricey. It takes a long time. But for many, it's totally worth it. read more

I'm glad another location opened up and this location is bigger than the one in San Gabriel too. Street parking might be difficult to find. It might be best to park at the parking structure and walk over. My favorite is the Osmanthus Oolong Tea with Mango but today I decided to try Cassia Black Tea with Organic Milk and Bubble. The drinks here are never too sweet. At times I wish it's a bit more sweet but perhaps this sweetness level is enough. I really like how this location is spacious but perhaps they can utilize the space in the back more. Perhaps add some tables and chairs toward the back so the crowd isn't just always in the middle of the store. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

This was the first Chicha San Chen location I tried and wow, it is massive. Super open and modern. She's definitely the stylish sister of the San Gabriel spot. Parking can be a little tricky if you're hoping to park right in front, but there are a bunch of parking structures nearby. I ordered the Mango Tart and she delivered. Bright, juicy, tropical perfection. It's giving "bite into a mango on vacation" realness. Service was a little slow though. I went on a Tuesday afternoon and it took about 10 to 15 minutes for just one drink. My husband actually left to grab a latte from Three Fields Coffee next door and came back before my drink was ready. Not sure what the holdup was. Maybe they're still working out the kinks, but I got 3 drinks way faster at the San Gabriel location, even though they had more orders and less space to work with. Still, that Mango Tart was worth the wait. Would I come back? Yes. Would I mobile order next time? Also a yes if they ever get their online order system up and running (it's always in "maintenance") read more

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I'm so happy that they open another location in SGV! This one is much more spacious than the San Gabriel location. They also have more indoor seating. Depending on the time you come, there may be a line but it moves quickly! Quality of the tea is definitely something you can taste! My favorites: - Black Tea with Cream with boba - Cassia Black Tea with Mousse - Bubble Milk Tea with Taro Paste Street and structure parking available. read more

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They robotically greet you when you go in, and it's weekday afternoon. We decided to try it out since there is always a line in the San Gabriel location. I still don't understand the hype, but since this place has no line....want to try couple drinks to reassure we don't like it. The woman making the drink behind the counter people came to us all the sudden and stop us ordering drink on the computer, then she is rude the whole time we are there. Then, the greeting is not really welcoming ...it's just a ? and the drink itself it's ok with a high price with horrible services, that older lady needs to know she is dong a disservice to the whole place.....and also we ask for a spoon for scope the fruit from the tea or any utensils to do it...not available? hm.....skip! read more

Very good boba tea place with a wide selection, excellent service and a large interior area with many seats - wait time is pretty long however but it may be a great sign of good business. Met up with my friend writer/filmmaker/actor Anthony Ma there as well and we took a pic in front of our shared ancestral home(is)land. Check it out if you are in Alhambra! read more

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New location for Chicha San Chen which is much bigger than the first location and there was no line when we went. We ordered the Dong Ding Oolong Tea and the Peach Green Tea. The tea flavor was present and both were not too sweet. I preferred the jellies over the tapioca pearls as they had a thicker texture and the boba was a little too soft. Overall, I would come back here if in the area! read more

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Quality boba and tea drinks are hard to come by in San Diego, my hometown and Hawaii where I live. I was intrigued when I heard that SGV's first Chi Cha San Chen had hourlong wait times, and even better that they recently opened an Alhambra location to ease the congestion! I even tried CCSC in Austin, Texas and the green tea I had was yummy. The Alhambra CCSC is very spacious and clean. Ordering is just as efficient and drinks are just as tasty as the SGV location, but with shorter wait times. Customers are able to see CCSC's "teapresso" machine up front; very cool to watch the brewing process. During my first time at this location, I ordered one of their popular drinks, the Dong Ding Oolong Tea with organic milk, boba, and "perfect sweetness." My husband ordered another popular drink, the High Mountain Pouchong Tea with lemon juice and grass jelly. My husband's drink was still tasty even the next morning. I didn't get to my drink until the following morning, but my drink was still good! The following day (LOL), my in-laws, hubby, and I revisited this location. This time, I ordered yet another popular drink, the green tea with passion fruit, boba, and perfect sweetness. The sweetness was just right for this drink! One of my sisters-in-law ordered the same Dong Ding Milk Tea drink as me, but with less sweetness. She let my sample her drink, and I really enjoyed it! I actually ended up adding water to my Dong Ding Milk Tea to cut the sweetness a bit. All the workers seemed diligent about their craft. They seemed so quiet, efficient, and focused that I felt like I was in Japan with the quality of their drink and customer service! Not really sure what the parking situation is here since we all walked from Lunasia Dim Sum. TL;DR: I love Chi Cha San Chen! My favorite orders so far: - Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea with boba, regular ice, less sweet - Green Tea with Passion Fruit, regular ice, perfect sweetness. Please consider opening a San Diego location (in the Convoy district) and an Oahu, Hawaii location! read more

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Looks like Chicha San Chen opened up another store, this time in Alhambra. This is good because the Rowland Heights and San Gabriel locations are always slammed. In fact, I've still never been to the San Gabriel location because the line is always insanely long. So what sets Chicha San Chen apart from all the other boba shops is that they literally brew the tea upon order rather than using powder. What really helps here is that they have their proprietary Lion teapresso machine. Last time I went to the Rowland Heights location, I swore they didn't have the machine there. Anyways, it cut the wait a lot shorter. Ordered a standard Bubble Milk Tea with 50% sugar and light ice and can confirm this is fantastic. read more

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[ Drink ] I tried the Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea with less sugar and it came out kinda watery. I've had their milk tea at the SG location and that was way better. I thought the organic whole milk was going to make it creamy, but nope. Kinda surprised it's a popular drink, unless they were so busy it didn't turn out how it usually does. [ Service ] Customer service was good. Everything seemed organized and clean. They do seem really busy though, even when there's not a lot of customers in store, they probably get a lot of mobile orders. So do expect to wait a bit for your drink. [ Parking ] Street parking if you're lucky or there's a parking garage nearby. read more

Chicha San Chen - Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

High Mountain Pouchong tea, less ice, 0% sweet. The tea is so good, it tastes sweet even though there is no sweetness. Without additives you can fully appreciate the natural flavor of high quality tea leaves. This is not like ordinary tea shop where the base teas are batch brewed because they expect you to add milk and flavorings, the tea here is prepared fresh for each cup. There is nothing to hide behind so the tea must stand on its own. If this sounds good to you, then High Mountain Pouchong tea is a must-order. I do not live nearby and usually order several to take home with me in an ice chest. This location has no line and tons of tables. I was planning to spend forever waiting but they made my order super quickly. There are more staff and more tea brewing stations. Clearly they learned from the demand at the other locations and optimized this shop for efficiency. They even have online ordering during the week. My only gripe had been the long wait time, and now that's gone. Wow! Free 4-hour parking in the public structure behind the building. read more

Chicha San Chen - High mountain Pouchong Tea, 0% sweet, less ice. x3 - Bubble Tea Near Me - Alhambra, California

I visited this place on Christmas Eve, and there was a long line. I waited about 20 minutes just to place my order. Once I did, the barista informed me it would take another 30 to 45 minutes to get my drink. I ordered the high mountain tea with organic milk. The tea was fresh and tasty, but I would not recommend coming here during peak times/holidays. Waiting 45 minutes for one drink was not worth it. However, if you visit during a quieter time, it is a great spot for boba since they prepare each drink fresh. read more

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So so happy that there are more locations. If you're a tea fan, definitely recommend checking out Chicha San Chen. Lots of flavors for different palates. I love the oolong options without sugar. Worth checking out if you're in the area! read more