ChiCha Sen serves boba tea in a way I haven't really seen before -- they use a machine similar to an espresso machine, but instead of coffee, they brew fresh tea leaves to order. No bulk-batched tea here, which makes a huge difference in freshness and flavor. You can order at the counter or at the kiosk, which makes it pretty convenient. I had my drinks with 0 sweetener and enjoyed them as-is -- you really taste the tea. The menu is small and simple, which I'm guessing is intentional so they can focus on quality. read more

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Really good. The boba is good. The fruit is fresh. There are so many employees so when a wave of people came in, drinks were made super quickly. The inside is really cute too. read more

CHICHA San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came by on a weekday afternoon and was happy to find no line. The shop itself is super cute, really cozy and inviting with their Japandi decor. I ordered the green tea with cream and boba, which is like a regular milk tea. The tea is brewed fresh when you order, and you can definitely taste the difference. It was smooth, fragrant, and not overly sweet. The boba had a nice qq texture too. The bobarista was super friendly and helpful. Will definitely be back to try more! read more

CHICHA San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

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It was our first time here to see what all the hype was about. I ordered a mango green tea that was less than memorable. The shop was very crowded which took away from the ambiance. The tea tasting station was also closed. I'm willing to give it another try, but for these inflated prices, I won't be back in a hurry. read more

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DO NOT CHANGE THE SUGAR! There's a reason why they call it PERFECT sugar! I went to Chicha in Atlanta and it tastes exactly the same here. My first mistake was changing the sugar levels (I'm not a sweet person) and that ended up sucking so I decided not to mess with perfection and it was THE BEST! My GO TO drink: Cassia Black Tea + Cream + Bubbles Perfect Sugar, less Ice. read more

CHICHA San Chen - Cassia Black Tea + Cream + Bubbles Perfect Sugar, Less Ice - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

It seems like there's a new tea/boba shop popping up every week or so, but I do love trying out new places! This is located in the same building as 85 Degree Bakery to the right of where Wish Tea was. I stopped by here on a Friday close to 1 pm about 2 weeks ago with a friend. I was hoping that meant it wouldn't be as crowded. I was wrong. Though the line didn't stretch outside, it did a mini half loop in the store itself... and everyone seated at the tables and the few standing on the sides did not have their drinks yet. Ouch. But I was already there and I don't find myself in the area too often, so I sucked it up. It's not a tiny little place, either, though definitely not as big as 85 just a few steps down. First thing: decor was quite nice and calming other than all the people in there. There was the fragrant smell of good quality tea as soon as you walk in. Aside from the line to order, there is a single kiosk you can place your order at as well. We ended up using the kiosk because the line wasn't really moving, but not before we were offered samples of Mango Osmanthus tea. Let me tell you - I'm not into herbal type, fruity teas, but that was divine and perfectly refreshing! I DIDN'T do my research before going in, so I was going in blind. I did manage a quick glance at the menu (the font.. they need to improve that, because I skimmed photos on Yelp and found the text hard to read - but discovered the font really is hard to read in person as well! HAHAHA) and discovered a key bit of information if not much else: their drinks are made less sweet than other places. Excuse me? I was EXCITED. And funny enough, on the kiosk, when choosing sugar levels, one of the choices is "perfect" and then you can go even lower than that. "Perfect" was their standard sugar level. That tickled my funny bone. So if you like the sugary drinks? I'm not sure if you'll like these. There was no option to add more sweetness. Or at least not at the kiosk. I ended up getting: TARO BUBBLE MILK TEA (milk tea with taro paste and taro bubbles): it really was perfect sweetness. I love how they used real taro paste and made their own taro balls, which reminded me of the "mini QQ" at MeetFresh. I wish there was more taro, but overall, I really liked this and would get it again! MANGO OSMANTHUS TEA w/ KONJAC: I love the marriage between the tropical mango and floral osmanthus in this. It was served cool and I thought it was perfectly refreshing for the approaching summer. Added in Konjac because it's a lower calorie alternative to tapioca and I actually like the chew of it a little more. It was a bit of a wait but I got to observe. The team of tea baristas have it down to a science. They have espresso machines - but for TEA. They use scales to weigh the leaves and beakers to measure. There's a tea tasting station in the back for demonstrations, but that was closed when I was there. They call out your number and it's displayed on the screen when your drink(s) are ready. HOWEVER, if you order from the kiosk, that will not be on the screen, but they will eventually call out your number - just with a little delay. Feel free to ask if you think they forgot about you. Yes, they aren't joking. I believed them and stuck with "Perfect" sweetness and they aren't lying (I usually go to less or half sweet). If you adjust it, you're encroaching upon too little sugar, haha. If you are lactose intolerant or vegan, they also offer oat milk as a milk alternative in addition to just tea. The drinks start at around $6.50 each and each one comes with it's own little twine caddy to carry it out in, which is super cute. The taro one I got was $7.25. The cost is moderate and can be a little higher if there are more add ins, but with the quality, I don't feel like it wasn't worth it. Not sure if it's a daily thing, either, but it could be an occasional treat. They do not charge for no ice, so there is that! There isn't a size option, so just one size for all their beverages. I can't wait for my next visit! I'm going to wait a little longer, because I really dislike lines. And it's not wise if you bring younger kids. Mine tend to run around everywhere if they're left with nothing to do for longer than a minute or so or are in new environments. I was there for a good 25 minutes. read more

Came during grand opening time awhile back, I haven't been back since, but I had gotten the Dong Ding Oolong Tea. At the time there was a really long line, wait time was approx. 35-45 min. If it hadn't been that long of a wait time I think it would've made the experience different. In the back of the store, they had free tea tasting. The tea was really good! It takes patience to wait for the prep + brew time though (approx 10 min). Which I did love, is, you can tell that they are very detailed oriented in weighing the grams of about everything that goes in the drink. On every station they had Acaia pearl scales(!!). Now back to the Dong Ding Oolong tea- delicious! But would I wait for that long again? Probably not.. I got regular of everything just so I could see what their sweetness level was like, and it was perfect! It has that "not too sweet" appeal that we asians love. However, it probably would not be an appeal to those that like sweet drinks. When I do get the chance to come back again, I'll see how they improved since grand opening. read more

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The wait is over: ChiCha is officially in Houston. After trying the Austin 2 years ago (on Day 1!), ChiCha entered my boba shortlist and I began MANIFESTING the Houston location. ==Brief blurb== Perfectly brewed tea, not too sweet (note their perfectly sweet is probably 50% that of other places), taste the tea, not the sugar! Each one is made to order, never over-brewed like other places. Hell, their teaspresso machine costs $12,000. ==Order== I got the bubble milk tea and the gf got the Dong Ding oolong tea latte + bubbles, both were 'perfect sweetness'. Just like how we had ours in Austin. Her Dong Ding was definitely the showstopper: bold, floral, bright flavors. Fantastic. My black tea was very good, though perhaps not as unique given its ubiquitousness; it was a superbly brewed tea, considering the crazy lines, but that's the power of a super consistent tea made by a specialty machine. I mainly got it so I can compare again against the other shops. Verdict? Top-notch though my go-to drink will definitely be the Dong Ding going forward. Boba was A-tier, good amount of qq (chewiness), and adds a little extra sweetness FYI. Would have to assess again on a slower day, since I'd imagine they're making boba non-stop on opening week. Price is fair TBH, $6 for the Dong Ding (boba +$0.75). Another reason Houston is better than Dallas? Their ChiCha is ~$0.50 more expensive. ==The numbers (wait times!)== we literally went on one of the worst times: 8pm on the Friday of opening week, line wraps along the wall inside and is out the door, looks bad! It takes 50 minutes to make it to the front. Can order at counter or by kiosk, whichever comes first. About 30 minutes wait for your drink. Can stand inside or outside, and frequently seats will open up. Oh, good amount of table space, unlike the tiny tables at Austin's. ==Worth the wait???== YES! If you're like me and you like having a go-to place for boba, ChiCha is the new king. Sadly, Tea Top will be replaced, though you can't beat their 3q earl milk tea in terms of sheer value (RIP YumCha)! We'll see how long the line is a month from now, during the summer, and a year from now. But it's worth figuring out where ChiCha falls on your tier-list. On a lazy Sunday? Catch me in the hour-long line. ==PRO TIP== if you're not getting boba, don't sip from straw, just sip from the edge, you'll enjoy the tea-ness a lot more, hell you're paying for quality! I give ChiCha San Chen 5 milk teas per week, out of 5. read more

CHICHA San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

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New boba store at Chinatown. The store is clean; however, it doesn't have many seats. I won't recommend this place for family. Price around $6-7 for one drink. In my opinion, it's overpriced because you will received a small size drink. I got Osmanthus Oolong Tea with Mango and Konjac, ~$7.50. Waiting time was okay. read more

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I enjoyed their Austin location, so I was indeed an eager beaver when I learned they had opened a shop in Houston. I visited on a Friday afternoon with my friend, and it was packed, so it did take them a bit of time to get our orders out. There was a gorgeous, clean ambiance, typical of many modern boba shops from China/Taiwan! Seating was alright, but there were a lot of customers. It's worth mentioning that they do not carry slushies or matcha drinks, if that is something you gravitate towards at boba shops. - Fruit Gathering Fruit Tea, 50% sweetness (5/5): Because of ChiCha's approach to preserving true tea-based drinks, I believe fruit teas are their strong suit. It's a bit pricey, but they include real chopped-up fruits in the drink. It was very refreshing, tart, and there was a good distinction between the fruit and tea flavors! I can say the same sentiment about their other fruit teas I've tried in Austin. :) I'd order them again. - Ding Dong Oolong (Oat) Milk Tea with brown sugar boba, 100% sweetness (3.5/5): Milk teas are where ChiCha falls short, I fear... they really don't make their drinks sweet, which is why they recommend customers to get 100% sugar (aka "perfect"). While the quality isn't terrible, I do wish their milk teas were a bit sweeter and creamy; I'm not sure what oat milk they use, but it does give off the impression that it's a watered-down drink. The freshly-made brown sugar boba carries, and I appreciate their use of oat milk despite my qualms. The portions are a bit small for how much you pay, but given the quality of the ingredients, how the tea is brewed, as well as the packaging, it's understandable! I'd say their fruit teas are the star of the shop, but I would venture into their unique drink options in the future. There's some steep (unintended tea-related pun) competition in Bellaire! read more

CHICHA San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

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There's no shortage of boba teahouse or cafés in the Chinatown area on Bellaire. After picking up some pastries at 85°C, we walked around and stumbled upon this place, a newer spot that caught our eye. We decided to give it a try. This is next to Mr Wish in the Hmart plaza. We ordered the honey osmanthus with crystal boba. (BTW, the crystal boba is actually konjac jelly, chewy and satisfying.) While there is a self-service kiosk for ordering, we chose to order directly with the cashier. The space is surprisingly roomy with a clean, minimalistic design. A few people were there working or studying. There's also a unique setup with four or five stations, where staff offer tea samples or tastings on weekends, which is a nice touch. Our drink was ready in about 10 minutes and came with a cute string handle for easy carrying. The tea was light and refreshing, perfect for someone who prefers simple flavors. The texture of the crystal boba was just right. The drink cost $6.23 ($5 for tea and $1 for konjac boba) which is on the pricier side for its quantity, but since we don't drink boba daily, it was worth trying. read more

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High quality tea and boba! A must for while you're in Houston. The tea is prepared on the spot and the boba is incredibly soft. read more

CHICHA San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Came here on a Sunday afternoon and there was a small line, less than five min wait. I ordered the pineapple tart b/c it had no caffeine and a green tea with passionfruit for the following day. Both drinks were excellent! They were also doing samples of green tea and mango that was delish. The service is friendly and fast. There is a large communal table and a tea tasting station at the back. Depending on timing, packing in the lot can be easy or hard. Love the way the sleeves have handles; makes it easy to buy a whole bunch! read more

Clean space, and very fragrant tea. Really enjoyed their mountain pouchang tea. Service was helpful and gave good suggestions. However, the options to modify are limited and so are the toppings. A bit pricey as well. read more

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I really wanted to like this but I didn't love my drink - dong ding latte with boba and less sweet. I wanted more oomph tea flavor and the boba texture was a little hard in the middle. They were very generous with boba topping. It was a very busy shift so I may try again but order regular sweetness next time, although $7 is steep for the small cup. read more

Chicha San Chen is as good as any bubble tea I've ever had. I've been to this location twice and my drinks were perfect both times. I tried the black milk tea and green milk tea and both had such a nice fragrance to them. You can tell they use high-quality tea leaves, probably straight from Taiwan. The tapioca pearls were perfect too: chewy (QQ) and sweet. Finally, the staff is really friendly and the space is awesome, with nice decor and a ton of seating. 10000% coming here whenever I'm in the area! read more

Since there's alot of hype surrounding this place, I had to wait quite a while to order and get my drink, but it's fine since I was expecting it. I tried their mountain tea with orange. I thought it was delicious upon first sip. You could taste all the complex notes of the tea itself... very fragrant and high quality tea leaves. The orange they added wasn't too tart and complemented the tea perfectly. It was the right amount of sweetness too, even with zero sugar added. The reason why I have to give this place four stars though is that I came back and ordered the same thing a second time, and it wasn't as good as the first time! So I'm hoping they work on their consistency because I'm still chasing the high I got from how good that first try was. read more

CHICHA San Chen - High Mountain Pouchong Tea with Orange - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

Perfect sweetness means perfect sweetness especially if you want to appreciate the high quality tea taste - anything less you really will just be drinking plain tea. I've also tried the honey dong ding oolong tea and to me that one had a heavier gummy tea after taste (which I personally enjoyed). Very refreshing but not where I would go if I'm craving your traditional super sweet milk teas read more

CHICHA San Chen - Honey Osmanthus Oolong Tea with Konjac Jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

I was excited to stop by this new boba spot but wary of the crowds, so it was quite a bit past opening day when I finally first visited Chicha with friends. As soon as we walked in the door we appreciated the sweet, heady aroma of freshly brewed tea and got in line to order (pro-tip: if you know what you want, the cashier at the counter can often be faster than the touchscreen). After a short wait, our order number was displayed on the screen and our drinks were ready for pickup, tied with a simple but charming string handle! I have yet to be disappointed by anything I've tried - the teas are perfectly brewed with no trace of bitterness, the boba is pleasantly plump and chewy, and the sweetness level is perfect (though I tend to prefer my drinks even less sweet, so your mileage may vary). At $6-7 for a small/medium cup, it can feel like a splurge compared to other boba places, but now that I drink significantly less bubble tea than I used to, it's much easier to rationalize the extra dollar or two for consistency and quality. I'll definitely swing by after shopping at Hmart or eating dinner around the plaza! read more

CHICHA San Chen - counter service - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Initially I was not planning to order anything, however upon walking into the store and smelling the fragment tea leaves I decided otherwise. I decided to try their oolong tea, which did not disappoint. The flavor of the tea was very good. The regular sugar level provided the perfect balance for me. read more

CHICHA San Chen - Dong ding oolong tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

Their passion fruit tea is so refreshing. Such a good drink and nice ambience. They have a unique way of brewing the teas

tea milk teas taste good, quality has come down on the boba. had it the other day and the boba tasted like it had been sitting too long. maybe not as busy so they sit on their boba longer, but it was mushy and overly expanded. like a mushy jelly tapioca. besides that, good drinks. read more

For the tea lovers (like myself) , definite MUST try! The drinks are soooo refreshingly fragrant!! read more

CHICHA San Chen - Taro Tea Latte - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

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The first Houston CHICHA San Chen location just recently opened in the Bellaire area, so I figured it was worth a shot to try it out for the first time. I ordered the Bubble Milk Tea and Honey Osthmanthus Oolong Tea with Grass Jelly, and I will say I prefer the pure tea more than the milk tea here. The milk tea has a distinct "floury" flavor to me, and it personally wasn't my favorite. The tapioca pearls themselves had the same "floury" taste as well, and it wasn't as sweet to my preference. The honey osthmanthus oolong tea tasted much better, with a light, refreshing taste that has a hint of an underlying fruity flavor alongside the soft grass jelly, and it was very enjoyable on a hot day. I would return for this drink alone! The baristas were very helpful in answering my questions about trying the drinks for the first time, and I would say the drinks came out at a reasonable amount of time considering how crowded this location is. The interior is beautifully decorated and well-lit, giving a clean modern look! However, this does not look to be a work-friendly spot or a good place for friend meetups, as the tables are primarily used as waiting spaces for customers. read more

CHICHA San Chen - Milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

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One of the best boba teas I've had so far! I ordered the classic milk tea with boba, and it was absolutely delicious. The tea is freshly brewed in-house, which makes a big difference in flavor. They even offer tea tastings! read more

CHICHA San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

I've had chicha in Austin, Dallas, and now Houston. All are consistent! I introduced lemon tart to my cousins and they loved it so much. We came back twice in one day. My cousin also tried the green tea with mousse and boba, also delicious! The lemon tart is the best one imo read more

There's always so many options for drinks in Bellaire, but CHICHA San Chen lives up to the hype. Came here with family after eating out for lunch on a weekend and craving a drink, and the place was incredibly packed. They do have mobile ordering and menu, which made the experience much easier than going through the store with our 10+ group. The ambiance of the actual place is really nice and the little cups with ropes was really cute (and definitely performative). As for the drink, I got the High Mountain Pouchong Tea with less ice, less sweetness, and coconut jelly and it was great, though I can't imagine what full sweetness is because even with less sweetness it was still REALLY sweet (coming from a person who likes sweet drinks). Also tried a few of the other drinks from people in my group and their boba pearls was a real standout, having that perfectly soft yet chewy texture that most places tend to struggle at. Overall, this place was just so hype and lived up to my expectations. read more

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Waited about an hour in total -- ordering was slow, but drinks were made quickly once we ordered. I got the Green Tea + Fresh Milk + Boba (no sugar) . It reminded me of the classic Taiwanese taste! The pearls were super chewy and delicious. If you're a bubble tea lover, don't miss this one! More photos from this visit on IG @lori.119! read more

Really good teas, and the place smells wonderful. They're speedy in serving you since they recently opened in the area and the hype is huge. I'd be back if in the area since it's pretty far from me! read more

Not sure if it is just this location, but the drink I got (green tea with mousse cap) was SO watered down, and the mousse cap added nothing to the drink tbh. There was also a really unpleasant artificial sweetener taste, not sure from what exactly, but I honestly could not finish the drink. I also came at around 8pm and it was packed/I had to wait at least an hour for my drink, so it was a pretty disappointing experience. The only positive thing about this place is how nicely fragrant the actual shop is! read more

Have only had awesome drinks here including the Dong Ding Oolong Tea Latte and the Sparkling Orange! The service was solid and you can order either at the register or through a self service screen. The seating is somewhat limited but fairly similar to most boba places. It probably just feels like you can't find a seat because it's always packed! The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that the cost is pretty high and secondly the cups are smaller than most other boba places. The combination of those things really drops the experience for me as you're already paying a premium. Overall I'd say the drinks themselves are definitely in my top three in Houston. read more

Michelin star rated, eh? Boba and tea was good; you can tell they use quality ingredients. Ordering was a little confusing because they had 2 lines, ordering in person or ordering via kiosk. Overall glad I tried it. Very crowded because it's still has buzz about it. read more

ChiCha San Chen finally opened their Houston location this week in Bellaire Chinatown. I enjoyed my drink (honey osmanthus oolong tea). Their look is very recognizable with the little sling attached to the cup sleeve. Strong tea flavor and very customizable to fit your preference. The line wrapped around the shop due to there being only one register open. I went at 12:30 and waited about 40 min, which was basically my entire lunch break including drive time to/from. Their tea has awards from the International Taste Institute (most current is 2025), is freshly brewed, has boba is made in house, and their tea leaves are imported from Taiwan. They also offer a complimentary tea tasting at the back of their shop. Soft opening hours are Mon-Thurs (11am-9:30pm) and Fri-Sun (11am-10pm). My drink was priced at $6 so with tax and $1 tip it was $7.50 (one size, and only cold). The interior was very modern and definitely screamed higher end. I'll definitely be back to try other drinks after all the hype dies down. Hopefully after soft opening, there will be more registers open. read more

CHICHA San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I buy my drinks every single day here. I never had a problem until today, the cashier was super rude! All I asked is if she could login into my phone number, then said it's too late and that I should have told her before I paid. As far as I knew in my past experiences, it didn't matter if I logged in using my phone number before or after, in fact it was an easy fix!!!! Like I said, I'm always there buying my drinks every freaking single day. Will not be coming back! read more

CHICHA San Chen - Cashier name: Jinjing W - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

I love love loveeeee the cassia with cream is sooooo gooddddd ugh is my favorite drink to buy here read more

CHICHA San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas

We went on opening weekend and the place was packed. They were giving also out these cute magnets during opening weekend! The staff were excellent and very quick with taking orders and were very polite despite the hectic environment. There were kiosks that you can order from as well. We ordered 4 different drinks but I only tried 2 of them - passionfruit green tea and oolong milk tea with boba. The green tea was my favorite. The passion fruit was recognizable but not overly tart and the green tea had a very robust flavor. The boba was good, sweet and had a nice chewy texture. The oolong tea was good but nothing spectacular compared to other boba tea places. We did end up waiting for our drinks for close to 45 minutes since the place was packed, but it had just opened and there was a huge crowd so it was expected. I will definitely be back. Their green tea was excellent. Their prices are a bit higher than other boba tea places though, so I don't think I'll become a regular, but it's a good option for when I am in the area. read more

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My son loved this place I believe he went there 5 times already. The tea is truly good and it's for people who like tray lattes. The other places claim to have good tea but none of them are freshly brewed and plus I find others very frilly. But if you like the Frappuccinos of teas this is not your place. Thumbs up from both me and my son! read more

Stopped by for a sweet treat after lunch. The cashier offered a sample of the Cassia Black Tea with Cream. This drink has a faint chocolate taste and was good, which made me change my drink order. I ended up ordering the Cassia Black Tea with Cream and added boba to it. The boba changed the taste of the drink and I preferred the taste without boba. The inside is spacious but has limited seating. read more

The drinks were made so delicious and the decoration was so cute. The service was very kind and warmly welcoming. read more

Been here a few times and my favorite is the taro milk tea with green tea. In the beginning the lines and wait time to get the drinks were really long but it's gotten a little better now. I do wish they allowed more customizations and had more caffeine free options for the kids. We usually order the taro milk for my child as that's the only thing without tea in it, but they don't allow us to customize the drink - we've asked less sugar less ice and no taro balls but our requests have always been denied not sure why. read more

CHICHA San Chen - Taro milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Houston, Texas