the drinks are absolutely delicious, aromatic, and quick service! got our drinks within 10 minutes of ordering. while we were sitting and chatting at a table, a kind employee asked if we wanted to partake in tea tasting. it was a great experience learning about where the tea comes from and tasting different types of roast. best of all, it was free! 10/10 would recommend the tea tasting and loved the drink i got (Osmanthus Oolong Tea with Mango). read more

See all

Nic was so friendly and really passionate and knowledgeable about the High Mountain teas. I'm really glad I got to try the special Oolong tea! Thank you read more

Chicha San Chen - tea tasting - Bubble Tea Near Me - Cupertino, California

See all

The morning light tastes great! Have a wonderful experience with tea tasting! Want to taste more different tea!

I tried the Fremont location first and liked it within the first sip. I was on Stevens Creek looking to get a drink and luckily this was close by. They offer the same drinks as the Fremont location BUT they have a little bar-like area that serves hot cups of loose tea to taste. I didn't get a chance to try it since it looked like they were still setting up. Service was good for how busy it was. They have a good system going. It took about 10 minutes to get my drink. Drink was tasty and refreshing on the hot Saturday afternoon. read more

Came to Chicha Sancha to pick up some drinks and got to experience an interesting tea tasting with Nic. He showed me 5 different Taiwanese Lishan tea leaves and got to taste two of them. They were very distinct and good. What was most interesting for me is that the stronger roasted tea had the least caffeine. If you have 10-15 mins while waiting for your order this would be something fun to do. read more

tl;dr Be prepared to wait if you don't order ahead on Snackpass because this place is popular for good reason. Wait times can be ~30 minutes on a weekend, but the tea is definitely worth it. The tea still tastes fragrant in in the completed drink, and they recommend lighter sugar so you can enjoy the tea taste. I ordered the passionfruit tea, which I ordered with the lowest non-0 sugar level. Since I shy away from super sweet drinks, the tartness from the passionfruit balanced with the light sweet, but I could it see it be delicious with the recommended sweetness level (50%?) as well. Would definitely come back on a day when I am not in a rush! read more

Osmanthus - lighter roast. Dong Ding - darker roast. Most boba places use a darker roast, so if you're not used to lighter roasts it can feel sour. Cute ambiance and I liked the mousse top for the stronger tea. Wait time was accurate to their estimates. It is better quality tea than many shops, but it was also $1 more and their menu is more limited. read more

See all

I think I came here a total of 3 times now (from grand opening to where the lines are shorter now), and I still think it's mid. It was overhyped with the Michelin-equivalent certification, had high expectations, and they consistently met me with low expectations for each of my visits. Each of my visits were better from the previous but still lacking. I think they also used a lighter brew because all the drinks were borderline watered down. BUT their fruit teas are great. However, their customer experience is still good. They have a tea tasting experience on the side and they brought in the birthday BOGO. There's plenty of parking, very spacious inside with plenty of seating indoors and outdoors, ordered on the kiosk, service is quick, and it's nice they have rotating tea samples at the front. Drinks: (all less sweet) - Dong Ding Oolong: I always get this to see if the tea is stronger from the previous visits. It is... but still watered down and subtle. Either their recipe changed or they changed their milk/creamer - Bubble Milk Tea: I'm confused with this one because there's a strange fruity taste on the first few sips - Boba: love their boba, well-cooked, soft and chewy, love the subtle honey taste that isn't overpowering read more

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

Expensive boba drinks but very high quality! You choose you tea type, sugar level, additions (a must for me!), and flavors. The High Mountain Pouching Passion Fruit Tea with Konjac Jelly was refreshing, fragrant, and delicious - the konjac bits are very delightfully chewy. 0% sugar was also very sweet. This spot was extremely busy on a Saturday afternoon, but the ordering and wait process is very efficient. read more

See all

TLDR: good tea, but not worth waiting for more than an hour for drinks. When this first bay area location opened, I heard people claim that they queued up for 6 hours (enough time to fly to the San Gabriel location and back)... so I made sure to wait until the hype died down a few months later. I usually get the Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea with Taro Balls - tastes like your typical good milk tea, but nothing too spectacular. The taro balls were a nice add though, I love taro. Overall, would recommend coming if you are into high quality tea and aesthetic drinks, but wouldn't recommend coming at peak hours, the line is insane. read more

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

Peach oolong tea with mousse had a nice subtle real peach flavor. I couldn't really taste much oolong flavor. Plain green tea was okay, but a bit too bitter. Passion fruit tea also didn't have a strong tea flavor. read more

See all

We went on a weekend and it was busy. It was a little shy of dinner time and the parking lot was full. I ordered on the kiosk while my husband looked for parking. Not a-lot of seats so it's better to take it. We ordered the Creamy lemon tart and Bubble milk tea. Both had a clean tea taste. Very well brewed. Fresh boba. And the worker's were working efficiently. Pretty good overall! Inside was clean and modern. Private lot in back but can fill up fast on weekend read more

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

Chicha san chen never disappoints! I'm not a huge fan of milk tea and boba, but here, I will CHOOSE to get that! Love the good balance of the milk and the tea, and the right amount of sweetness. And their boba is actually really good. The right texture and the right flavor. It was busy but we ordered online, so picking it up and getting our drinks was super easy! read more

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

I'm rarely blown away by a drink, but this spot genuinely impressed me. I visited on a Sunday evening around closing time, and there was still a long line. The poor employees were absolutely grinding to make drinks right up until they closed. The store was nicely decorated, with one wall displaying all their merch. I tried the Lemon Mango Cloud, a new drink. It was actually so good I was overwhelmed with gratitude that this place existed. I've never had a drink I enjoyed as much as this one. It was so creamy but still refreshing. The lemon and mango flavors were prominent and melded together beautifully. Every sip was a delight: silky smooth, rich, tart, and sweet. I'm genuinely obsessed with this drink and will absolutely be trying more of the Green Lemon Series. I will mention: the bathrooms were in a state of disarray when I visited. None of the toilets were flushing, there was paper everywhere, and it was not pleasant to step into. I took this as an indication that the other customers enjoyed the drinks as much as I did lol. But if you have a sensitive stomach, maybe find a nearby store with a usable bathroom. read more

See all

Had a great experience today! Ordering at the kiosk was very easy. Just make sure to remember your order number or have your receipt texted to you! I appreciated that fresh water was available if you are thirsty. I went to the restroom right after ordering, and it was clean. As soon as I finished my drink, my order was ready. Came here at 1 PM on a Monday. I ordered the passion fruit green tea with regular sugar and less ice. Wow, it was perfect! Definitely coming back again read more

Chicha San Chen - Passion fruit green tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Cupertino, California

I will stand for no chicha slander. What do you mean each cup is made fresh with a robot that ensures the perfect temperature for reach type of tea leaf. This shouldn't be as rare as it is but truly freshly made tea is unusual in the bay now! Taste: I've heard varying opinions but the general consensus is that the boba here is always chewy and nice. Tea is fresh made. Drinks disappear way too fast Parking: This is a busy plaza but it's large. You will most likely be able to find parking! Service: You order through a kiosk and then they will call your number once it's done read more

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

See all

Expect a wait during the day of about at least 10-20 minutes from arrival until when your drink is ready. Today was my second time here and I got the Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea with no sugar with Bubbles/boba and hubs got the Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea with no sugar and Taro Balls. We typically don't like our milk tea sweet so we can taste the tea. The sweetness from the toppings brought plenty of sweetness. The taro balls were definitely sweeter than the boba today. We enjoyed both toppings. The taro balls are definitely unique and a must try when visiting here. Will definitely be back if in the area. read more

See all

I come here every now and then with my friends if we're in the area. The place itself is big and has seating for you to sit and hang with friends. The drinks have always been solid. They're not super sweet either which is what I like. The workers here are polite as well. I went with a friend for the birthday BOGO and it was great. We got to take advantage and buy drinks for our friends and family at a discounted price and the quality is still there. My favorite is usually the Dong Ding Oolong Milktea and their Black Milktea! read more

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

I wanted to love this spot but honestly the milk based drinks fell short for me. I ordered the taro milk tea with full sweetness and it was simply not good. The flavor was super watered down and reminiscent of cardboard :( My sister ordered the green tea with cream and that lacked flavor too. The tapioca pearls were standard. On my way out I tried a sample of passion fruit tea and it was so good. I'm sure the tea based drinks are their specialty and I would actually come back for that, but I wish their other drinks were on the same level. I sadly spent $10 on a very disappointing drink. It was busy on a saturday afternoon and the longest wait time was 16 minutes. Two kiosks to order from btw. read more

See all

Date: Saturday, December 13th, 2025 Time: 3pm High Mountain Pouchong Tea ($7.50) *Bubble *No sugar *Less ice After lunch, a girlfriend and I stopped by for some boba. Getting into the parking lot was a little backed up, but there's plenty of parking if you drive further into the lot. It was pretty busy when we got here, but you just place your order at the kiosk and then wait for your number. Seating is kinda limited, but we were able to grab a high top table for two in the back. The tea was nice. Not quite as strong as I prefer, but a good brew. The boba itself was soft and chewy. We were trying to catch up, so the noise level can be a little loud. But we managed for the almost 3 hours we were here. During that time, they did do a complimentary tea tasting which we didn't take part in. Solid spot to grab a boba tea. REVIEW #3938 read more

Chicha San Chen - High Mountain Pouchong Tea ($7.50) *Bubble *No sugar *Less ice - Bubble Tea Near Me - Cupertino, California

Very smooth and refreshing quality drinks! It's super easy to order, you select your items on the kiosk, and keep an eye on the screen to see when your order is ready. Overall it was nice service with a minimal wait (about 7 minutes) Spacious interior with Valentine's Day theme decor Parking: ample spaces read more

See all

We've been here a bunch of times and this is in my top ~3 boba shops if not my favorite right now. First off, the store is clean and big, with a giant bench and lots of chairs. My son always immediately sits on the bench and waits for me and my husband to order, lol. There's also a few card/board games available as well. There's a water station, which adds a nice touch since most boba places don't have water available. The tea is really good; you can tell that it's high quality and still shines through despite being iced/mixed with milk. I always get the bubble black tea and haven't felt the need to try other drinks but there's always interesting combinations they feature. We did a tea tasting one time; it was one of those ~15 min ones for free. The guy was very knowledgeable about tea and it was interesting to hear him explain how much work goes into picking these specialty high mountain teas. It was fun to try different roasts of oolong, and he ended it with some complimentary samples of dried fruit. They have some tea for sale; you can buy as small as ~12g. read more

After an uncomfortable situation with Molly Tea and their unruly staff, I decided to go back to Chicha. I'll admit, Chicha used to be my go-to place but after over-consuming back in San Gabriel, I needed a break from it. Now my love for Chicha has reignited and I'm glad to step away from those other places. Here you can actually taste the tea quality, it's not overly sweet, and their boba and grass jelly taste amazing. Pricing is a little on the higher side but it's worth it. Highly recommend getting your boba fix here, however you'd be wise to order in advance since lines/wait can be long. read more

The amount of times I've been here is embarrassing but also demonstrates how reputable the drinks are. I've tried a good handful of drinks with the most notable ones being Cassia Mousse Black Tea, and Dong Ding Milk Tea, Mango Osmanthus. I typically rotate between these three depending on what I'm craving but they're my top 3. My ultimate go-to is the Cassia Mousse Black Tea because I like its wood-y, smooth, and rich taste yet is lighter than a regular milk tea. The mousse is super thick and mildly sweet but it doesn't easily evaporate as I still have a dollop of mousse left over when I finish my drink, which I like. Boba was OK but I prefer having taro balls as my topping. read more

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

Not my favorite place, especially since there are so many great boba spots around San Jose. I've been here twice - once for their green tea with milk in 2023 and once for their fresh milk tea with boba. Despite the long lines, I didn't feel like it was worth the hype, price, or wait. The service was great and the inside was clean, but I wasn't particularly impressed overall. The tea tasted fresh, but the flavors were pretty light and not very sweet, which really just comes down to personal preference. read more

See all

Here's a stronger but still credible review that reflects how you actually feel: I included it in a writing block so you can easily copy and post it. Very disappointing experience at the Cupertino location. I don't usually buy drinks here because I honestly think they're overpriced for the size, and the taste isn't anything special. The only reason I stopped by today was because I was having lunch nearby and wanted to grab drinks for my kids since it was convenient. I placed a to-go order under Tiffany, and my son's drink was supposed to be a Lemon Mango Condensed Milk drink. Instead, they handed me someone else's drink--a Green Tea with Lemon, no sugar, no ice--with another customer's name (Zeinab B.) still on the label. How does a drink with someone else's name get handed to me without anyone checking? Unfortunately, I didn't realize the mistake until I got home, about 30 minutes away. My son wouldn't drink it, and honestly, who wants a no-sugar, no-ice green tea when they ordered something completely different? I had to throw away an almost $9 drink. To make matters worse, I tried calling the store several times, but no one answered the phone. Mistakes happen, but handing out another customer's order and then being unreachable afterward is unacceptable. For the prices they charge, I expect much better quality control and customer service. I'll definitely think twice before coming back. read more

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

Ok I will admit I used to not care for this place and felt it was overhyped. Call me a hater or just not appreciative of high quality tea. But I finally found a drink that I enjoy and even made me a boba convert. Everything else I've tried was fine but not worthy of returning. Now I can't get enough. I love the passion fruit green tea with boba. Their boba is just something else because I never liked it before and now I'm always ordering it. I can't get enough! I understand people's boba addiction. What is great is everything is measured from the timing, seeping, and even amount of tea. For optimal taste and consistency. I love the open space and samples. Ordering is super fast and easy. And it's worth noting that they have a screen to update you on your order. read more

Chicha San Chen - Passion fruit with boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Cupertino, California

I got the mango tea without sugar. The mango was not strong and there was more tea flavor. I didn't like the grass jelly because I prefer it a bit more firm. Service was one of the best I've seen for a milk tea place. The place is very clean. I would totally come back to try some different teas. read more

See all

Final Thoughts: 4.00/5 My friends and I have tried this place a long time ago (during their soft/grand opening days). Honestly, I couldn't say that their tea truly impressed me the first time I tried it. Perhaps that combined with our suboptimal experience while they were trying to work things out. We revisited this place today because my sister actually really likes this place. We even got to experience a tea tasting today. Overall, solid 4 stars for me. Drinks: Osmanthus Oolong Tea: 4.2/5 This tea was my preferred choice of the two teas that we got today. The taste has this very subtle sweetness. There are nutty undertones, which I really like. Subtle bitterness to it that I really enjoy. It gives the tea another flavor to it. We selected "perfect" sweetness level for this tea and it was also quite nice. This drink is definitely something I would enjoy on a day-to-day basis. The scent of the tea is fragrant, but no overpowering. Overall, a very gentle and smooth tea. High Mountain Pouchong Tea: 4.0/5 The taste of this tea was a little bit lighter than the Osmanthus Oolong Tea. This one had a slight sweetness to it as well, somewhat floral, and a very soft jasmine flavor to it. I prefer the teas with a deeper flavor. Sweetness wise, I actually like the light sweetness of it. On the kiosk, there is a sweetness level labeled "perfect". We opt to choose this one because we were curious. This will depend on your preferences though. I was find with the sweetness level, but my sister did prefer a more sweet taste for the tea. Tea Tasting Experience: Amazing One of the employees approached my sister and I today and asked if we wanted to partake in their tea tasting. My sister and I agreed as we've never experienced this before. This experience is really what's skewing this review a bit because I genuinely enjoyed this experience. It made me appreciate the teas more, even though I truly couldn't understand where the Michelin stars came from. We learned about where the teas come from, the care that goes behind harvesting the leaves, taste and differences of the different types of teas, etc. There were four of us total and we each got to try a different type of tea. These teas were very carefully measured out and prepared by Nic. Very knowledgeable individual about this topic and we were provided a lot of information during this time. Menu: They do a good job with explaining the different teas to us during the actual tea tasting experience. Something that I would like to see is perhaps a small description of what the tea is or what you'll expect to taste with that specific tea. Just providing names of the tea makes it difficult for your average person to know what it is or what it will taste like. Of note, one of their sweetness options is labeled "perfect". The confidence is of a different level because I personally have not seen other places have that label. They may have the upper hand in regards to this because they seem to have years of experience and research behind the creation of their teas. --------- Quality: Optimal Personally, I can't really tell the difference between the quality of these teas versus other teas. I'll attribute this to simply not having that kind of palate. The flavor is good and perhaps they are very precise with their measurements. A lot of it is done by the machine and I can better appreciate that now. Price: Average The prices appear appropriate. For each tea, it was around $6 to $8 depending on what you get combined with the add-ons. Add-ons do come with an upcharge, so that will increase the prices for you. Service: Tea Tasting Experience was A+ and Highly Recommended All of the ordering was done on a kiosk and we just pick up our order at the front, so there was really wasn't much interaction. With the tea tasting experience, we were able to get a full experience with tasting the tea, learning about the history and background of it, smelling it, feeling the different types of leaves, etc. Nic, the employee that walked us through all of this and provided us this experience, seems highly knowledgeable about the information. He did have a tablet with pictures and information. Overall, his presentation had a nice flow to it, very easy to follow, and I appreciate the interactive aspect to it. Very highly recommended if you have the opportunity for this. There are specific times, so just make a note of that. Ambiance: Classic Interior The interior is quite large, but the space in the front looks kind of cramped with everything that's happeing. The back side of it is more for the tea tasting experience, which is nice. That corner is very much more quiet. Location/Parking: Large This parking lot is quite large because the plaza itself. The scale of it seems appropriate for meeting the needs of this plaza. There are various food places, drinks, retail store, etc. around here, so parking doesn't seem to be an issue at all. read more

Chicha San Chen - Left: High Mountain Pouchong Tea. Right: Osmanthus Oolong Tea. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Cupertino, California

Taro milk tea 4/5 - this was good and I like how they use real taro instead of taro powder. But I wish they just added more taro because I like my taro. But otherwise it was very good. Expensive for a small cup though Wait was pretty long. The line to order was short but waiting for them to make the drink took a while read more

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

Food I got the Passion Fruit Green Tea with boba. I like that it is always consistent both the drink and the boba. The boba is well made with a nice chew texture to it. The drink is not overly sweet and refreshing. Service They have two kiosk that you could order from which makes it convenient. They do offer samples up front. Service is prompt and I like how they have a screen where you could see the progress of your drinks. It makes it easier for the workers as well as a customers. Ambiance Spacious place with seating, They also have a tea tasting station. read more

Chicha San Chen - Passion Fruit Green Tea with boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Cupertino, California

Had to come after hearing all these years about the hype, so instead of waiting in line, I ordered on snackpass! yeah its pretty good, I was recommended to try the lemon & passion fruit condensed milk, which I thought was an odd combo, but weirdly it works! its a more refreshing, milky drink. You would think it tastes more of a milk tea, but I like how you can really taste the essence of the tea rather than their milk here. I tried my other friends drinks and I think i like their lemon & passion fruit condensed milk the most! I would come back, but there is just so many good boba spots in the area, this might be middle tier for me (i know WTF) i will say, if you are into very tea tasting drinks, this place does it well read more

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

Fast service. Recommend ordering online via website. Ordered 3 drinks and took less than 10 minutes for pick up! Their osmanthus oolong Passionfruit tea is so refreshing! read more

Chicha San Chen - Osmanthus oolong Passionfruit tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Cupertino, California

See all

My friend and I were offered a chance to do tea tasting at Chicha San Chen and it was a great experience! Nic gave a great presentation and explained the tea varieties and the origin of the tea. The overall experience took about 10 minutes. We got to pick one of the tea leaf choices and Nic brewed it in front of us. He also explained the optimal temperature and time for brewing. The mini presentation was quick but also very thorough and informative. I'd recommend it if anyone has extra time to spare. Always fun to learn something new too! read more

Chicha San Chen - Tea intensities - Bubble Tea Near Me - Cupertino, California

See all

Chicha San Chen is a must-visit for true tea lovers. The hot ginger milk tea was absolutely outstanding -- comforting, perfectly balanced, and so flavorful. The black tea with boba was equally delicious, with rich tea notes and perfectly cooked pearls. You can really tell they take pride in their tea sourcing and brewing process. We also did the Earl Grey tea tasting experience which was complimentary, which was both informative and enjoyable -- a great way to appreciate the quality and craftsmanship behind their teas. This place is not just about boba, it's about real tea done right. Will definitely be coming back! This is one of the finest tea places I have visited here in the Bay Area. read more

See all

Chicha San Chen is absolutely on par with Molly Tea and TP Tea and honestly it is playing in the top tier of boba spots right now. Their High Mountain Pouchong with cream is one of the best milk teas I have had. It is up there with a good Tieguanyin. Floral smooth, rich, nutty, and insanely clean on the finish. Huge shoutout to the baristas for recommending cream instead of milk. It made a noticeable difference. The mouthfeel was thicker richer and way more satisfying without overpowering the tea itself. That kind of guidance tells you they actually know their product. The taro boba was another standout. Great texture chewy but soft and the taro flavor was natural and fragrant. Not overly pasty or artificial like you get at a lot of places. We also lucked out with a complimentary tea tasting session with Nic which was a really thoughtful touch. He managed to get us in as walk ins within about 15 minutes which felt like winning the lottery given how busy it was. While the oolong we tasted was not quite on the same level as their pouchong we appreciated experiencing the different roast levels and how dramatically they affect the flavor. Yes it is super busy but the location is great and there is plenty of seating so it never felt chaotic. Overall you can tell Chicha San Chen takes tea seriously and it shows in every cup. Definitely worth the wait, but can be a bit expensive! Not sure if worth going here rather than Molly or TP, IMO. read more

See all

Nice spacious interior and relatively quick service! Ordered on their system in person and wait was under 10min. They have free tea tastings by reserving ahead! - Oolong milk tea with boba : the sweetness level name is deceptive - i went for the "perfect" level which is regular however it was too sweet. I usually go for less sweet but I assumed that they start out lower being more known for their tea. Aside from that, the tea itself was nice and boba a nice consistency! read more

Chicha San Chen - Oolong milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Cupertino, California

See all

The tea quality here is elite and insanely fresh and the best tasting tea I've ever had. Something magical about the water and tea leaves and process used to craft the perfect cup of tea. If you have time, I also recommend checking out the complimentary tea tasting. You get to try a few different options and I loved learning about how they harvest the tea and the specific way to brew for optimal taste. My favorite is the tea with lemon. So bright, fresh, and amazingly refreshing. read more

Chicha San Chen - High Mountain Lemon Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Cupertino, California

I understand the hype now, but the crowd and lines are INSANE! This place feels jam packed at all the time. We visited on a weekday around 4PM, and it was crowded. Parking was tight. We got in line(which was out the door), but the line moved quickly. Most people seemed to already know what they wanted. They had samples too, so it was great to try their teas, and yup, their teas are amazing! You'll be hard pressed to find any seating inside. This place is very much a grab and go, unlike other Boba shops where you can sit and hang out with friends. It's just too busy for that. read more

Finally got to try this place in NYC and had to get again in the bay. I didn't try this place before because the 2-3hr lines, but that is no longer the case. It was nice that my drink was ready in 10 mins. Chicha San Chen has to be my favorite boba shop overall because they have good milk tea and fruit tea selections. Fruit teas are definitely the star, but the Classic milk tea is also a solid choice. For fruit teas, I like the Regular fruit tea the most, then the Passion fruit tea. My boyfriend also enjoys the Creamy lemon tart and the Condensed milk lemon teas. I also enjoy the ambiance and aesthetic of Chicha San Chen. Definitely quality teas and I would come back for the tea tasting with friends! read more

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