This is a nice place to eat something different. They have many options to try. We decided on onigiri. There is a method to opening them. You need to pull the red tab and gently pull the plastic towards left and right to detach it from the seaweed. Then you close the onigiri and eat. We ordered several because they are not that big and everything was delicious. What I did learn is that it gets expensive really fast, so I would come here for a quick snack, but if you're starving, you can easily spend $30+ on 3 onigiri and a tea. read more

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I recently made the trip down to the Richmond and stopped at Chum Chum Onigiri - it's inside of Sen Organic Farmers Market which is a cool spot with a couple other businesses as well, so definitely worth checking out, You can order at the counter or the touch screens although not everything on the menu was available at the touch screens. I ordered the ChumChum Milk Tea which comes with boba and a sea salt milk cap and it was delicious! Boba was on the firmer side which I prefer and the tea was some of the best I've had. Their sea salt milk cap is unique compared to other places in that it is a very thick almost cream cheese like consistency - bit overwhelming on its own but when mixed with the milk tea it added an extra complexity to the tea flavor. I also ordered two onigiris but they weren't the greatest - heavy on the rice which was either dry, or loosely packed, or something, since they didn't hold together really well. I'd definitely go back for the tea though! And maybe to try some of the other stuff on their menu. read more

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I thought they used to make the onigiri fresh. Last few times was just nuked. Making it kinda of hot chewy mess. Chum chum was is less yum yum and more ho hum these days. read more

I stumbled across this place while walking through Cary town. It's honestly my favorite place to explore, you can always find the best stores and restaurants. I tried their pork belly onigiri , which was delicious . Hard to learn how to open the package but that's a me problem. I also tried the magical lavender lemonade and the white Phin which is coffee and condensed milk. I will definitely be adding this to my favorites when I come back . You could order food at the menu booth or self checkout . The service was quite fast. Wish they have more seating but it was also a store. They sold everything on the menu as a frozen/ take home option. They also had a cute flower shop in the back .. I don't think it's meant to be a long sit down place, pick up and go. They did not have a bathroom which was kinda disappointing for those with bad bladders. They also had a cute little Photo Booth where you could look like a strawberry or dumpling.. Such a fun little stop.. read more

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I've been wanting to try this spot for some time now and was excited to stop by before my bus came. The shop is extremely cute and aesthetically pleasing. There is limited seating inside and it's set up like a market. If you want to order any food you'll do so at a screen. Be sure to put a pager number as your name instead of your name. I ordered the brown sugar okinawa milk tea and the chicken tonkatsu onigiri. I was super excited to try it all. I took it to go and devoured my boba on the bus. It was so delicious. I loved that I was able to get it with oat milk (something I've never seen at other boba shops). It was tasty and good. Unfortunately, the chicken tonkatsu onigiri was not good. It was old, so the chicken was dry and stringy. It felt like it had been left out from the day before. The seaweed and rice were fine, but the chicken itself wasn't good. They gave generous portion of chicken though. I'm excited to return for more milk tea. I do want to try more of their onigiri too, but unless I know it's fresh, I would never get the chicken tonkatsu onigiri again. It was the only option left when I went in on a Monday evening, so I'd be excited to try their vegetarian options earlier in the day. read more

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Delicious onigiri! The duck egg was my favorite, and the staff were very nice as well :)

Expensive but rlly good. I'm gonna come back for seconds. I'm vegan And this has organic stuff My best combo. Vegan organic. I love it read more

Chum Chum Onigiri - Me - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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My favorite bubble tea shop in town! I live 20 minutes away but will still make the drive out just for this. The food, ambiance, drinks etc etc are amazing. It is p authentic when it comes to the Vietnamese selection (+approved by my viet family), so I am frequently coming back. Love love love! Thank you chum chum. read more

Friendly. Gave me a weaker coffee like I asked- but it was very, very weak. Maybe theirs isn't so strong to begin with. Sad part and why the low rating $6.80 for a plain black coffee is outrageous! No posting anywhere I could see to the price beforehand. read more

I love the concept but it never hits the mark. I randomly have musubi cravings and chum chum is the only place around that has them. They are not made fresh so the nori (seaweed) is chewy and hard to bite through. If you order it heated, it's thrown in the microwave and sometimes ends up dry. It always falls apart on me so I end up eating it with a fork. The boba drinks aren't the best either. The most recent time I visited the boba was pretty hard. I do appreciate that they have non-dairy milk options. There's a tiny seating area in the market. There were a bunch of ant baits around the area though. They just opened up a larger location in Staples Mill and I hope that one's better! read more

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I'm on the fence about how to rate this place. I REALLY wanted it to be a five star, I LOVE onigiri, there is never a bad time for spam musubi, and I am a sucker for a nice sweet banana bun. For starters, the coffee here is PHENOMENAL. I ordered the iced dalgona and hubs got the iced milk phin coffee. I am glad we don't live closer because I would be bouncing off the walls in caffeinated happiness, because I would never be able to restrain myself from chain drinking either. They are both amazing. The shop itself is also really cute, with a lot of really cute items to buy. There are stickers, frozen foods, sweets and treats, and other items. Definitely lots of things to want to buy. Unfortunately, we were not super excited about any of the food items we purchased. The onigiri and musubi and banana bun were very dry and disappointing, and we ended up spending almost $50 on 4 handheld rice items and 2 coffees. The service was really great though. Overall, we will definitely be back for the coffee again, but pass on the food items next time. Unfortunately, read more

the food was really good and the store is so cute and cozy feeling! nice rest stop from shopping. read more

Chum Chum Onigiri - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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[Pandemic review - 2020] When I visited Richmond in 2020 we made a special stop to pick up onigiri from this place. My friend liked it but I didn't find it particularly great. we order ones that had fish in it and ones that didn't since some were allergic. But when we got them they were not clearly labeled. I had to go back in to double check. Firstly, since this was during COVID, they actually packaged the seaweed separately from the rest of the onigiri. So you would have to wrap it yourself. Understandable, but it does kind of take away from the experience. Though when I bit into it, it was pretty bland. And I like my food on the blander side. But this was just very flavorless. Can't say I would find myself coming back. Location-wise is in the heart of downtown Richmond so it is hard to find parking. It is just small shop so there is very limited seating inside. Just two small tables outside. (see pics). read more

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I tried the tuna mayo and braised pork onigiri, which cost me around $11!!! The food was just plain nasty and tasted like it was made a while ago. The service was okay, and the interior was clean though. read more

Chum Chum Onigiri - Tuna mayo onigiri - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Came here because I wanted to grab something quick to eat. My husband and I ordered several onigiri to try (chicken katsu, duck egg, spicy tuna mayo, lemongrass tofu) and we were not disappointed. They were made fresh and the flavor was on point for all of them. However, I do wish the spicy tuna was a bit more spicy. It didn't have any spice so it tasted like a regular tuna mayo. Also I think it is a great price for the size of the onigiri ($5). The place is very cute and it is more like a small grocery store with cute Japanese and Vietnamese things. The staff was fast and very friendly. The only downside is that there is not enough seating area and they do not offer plain water to drink. Other than that, I recommend visiting this local shop. read more

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Cute little store right next to the Tokyo market! I got the Tuna and Katsu onigiri. I like that they didn't scrimp on the filling and there was a good ratio of filling to rice. The steamed layer cake was also yummy with lots of pandan flavor. FYI, no inside seating. read more

Chum Chum Onigiri - Updated menu - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Chum Chum Onigiri is a small snack shop that offers onigiri, milk teas and beverages (vegan-friendly and dairy-free options available, too!), various bites (such as takoyaki, shrimp tempura, musubi, etc.), and sweets (such as bingsoo and boba layer cakes). We stopped by to pick up some snacks on the go, and we ordered: +the Spicy Mayo Tuna onigiri +the Garlic Butter Salmon onigiri +the Chicken Katsu onigiri +the Purple Sweet Potato onigiri +the Blink Blink tea - made with guava, lychee, and sparkling water +and, the Strawberry Green Tea - with strawberries, lemon, and jasmine green tea The onigiri was more rice heavy, and I wished the fillings were a bit more; also, I wished that they were warm or in a warming plate, as what we received were super cold. The teas were just okay, as with the Blink Blink, there could have been more guava and lychee flavors; the jasmine green tea was a little weak in the Strawberry Green Tea. The onigiris definitely run out, so make sure if you wanted to try them, to come to the eatery earlier. The staff is friendly, but there was only one individual who was assisting a line of us; the place itself is small and very cute in terms of decor - there isn't much seating option available. Limited street parking can be found in the area. +cold onigiris +friendly service +limited seating +limited street parking available read more

This place looked cute so I thought I'd check it out. They were already sold out of a lot so I ended up landing on the bingsu. I hate to say it but this was the absolute worst bingsu I've ever had. Terribly disappointed I waited for already over priced ice with a bit of taro, mochi, & shaved almonds on top. read more

Chum Chum Onigiri - Ube bingsu - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I wanted to like this place so bad but I just couldn't. First the food was disappointing! I ordered the Onigiri (chicken katsu) and (Chicken curry). Seemed as though they were either microwaved or reheated! Taste was bland, and reminded me of a 7-11 product that was left out from the day prior! While I waited for the flagship (Onigiri) I sampled the UBE Ice W/Boba. The Boba tasted like marbles! When I questioned the staff I heard someone yell (it's hard again), as if it were common practice. The person who prepared the drink said unfortunately they were closing soon (5:50pm) and that they wouldn't have enough time to remake the drink. She even said they didn't taste that bad and after a while I'd get used to it. Having lived in Japan and sampled many bubble tea drinks I have never tasted something so awful in my life. Therefore I give this establishment "two thumbs down" and if I had a third hand I'd add a middle finger! Never going back again, although the cashier was awesome! read more

The vibes are good! It's a little crowded now that it is in the farmer's market, but I think it was a good decision because it brings more traffic to the farmer's market that I didn't see earlier. It's also a little pricey... I honestly think their food prices are fair and I was willing to pay $10 for my smoothie. However, a lot of their drink menu prices seem disproportionate to the ingredients and effort put into making the drink. An example, it's $6.99 for a latte and it's also $6.99 for a mocha. A lot of their menu is like that. Also, I should add for coffee not being their main item, that is an outrageous price even if their coffee is imported and milk is organic. My dragon mango smoothie is really good, and the spicy mayo tuna onigiri was also bomb. The braised pork belly onigiri had a lot of ginger for me, but that's just personal taste! Try their onigiri warmed up! read more

Chum Chum Onigiri - Dragon Mango Smoothie - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Chum chum sells a ton of farm fresh produce and Asian delights that you didn't even know you needed! They have made to order boba tea, Vietnamese donuts and other deliciousness. The location is perfect because it's right beside Tokyo market and right across from The Sen restaurant. Try something different and check them out. read more

Chum Chum Onigiri - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Quality boba and milk tea!!!!! Coming from LA, I was a little disappointed by the boba/bubble tea options in RVA but I'm SO glad I stumbled upon this place! I can say that their boba pearls and drinks are up to California standards. I got the Okinawa Brown Sugar Milk Tea with boba. The boba was super chewy and the milk tea was pretty smooth although a bit too sweet for my preferences. I'm looking forward to coming back and checking out their other drinks/food options. The store itself was also very aesthetic! Pink walls, hanging plants, neon lights, and a giant mirror - all make a great background for your pics! read more

Chum Chum Onigiri - Okinawa brown sugar milk tea with boba (right) and mango tea drink (left, seasonal?) - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

My bestie and I have visited both locations and love them though I won't lie, I'm partial to their new staples mills locations for its seating and the adorable Photo Booth! But the two things that is consistent; service and quality of food and drinks at bothhave been perfect at their locations!! read more

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Loved this place. Super cute! The chicken dumplings are amazing as was the takoyaki with spicy Mayo!

Found this cute Asian desert/snack shop online and it had everything I was craving from boba, bingsu, Takiyaki, Onigiri, etc. The store was a little smaller than I thought, there's no indoor dining. There's a small little seating area outside though. The interior is cute and lively with anime decorations. I give them a plus for playing kpop and friendly staff ;) We got the ube & original bingsu and it was filled to the top and came in a bowl with no cover so it was a little inconvenient. The Ube was really sweet with strong Ube flavor, the original was pretty bland and wish they gave more red bean or flavor to it overall. I also ordered the chicken katsu onigiri, it was pretty good but it had just chicken not katsu chicken read more

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I'm not sure what has happened to Chum Chum. This used to be a favorite of mine in Carytown and I would go out of my way to have lunch there. My partner and I recently went and we were excited to have onigiri -- the onigiri was served cold (I've never had it not heated up there) and the service was really rude. I think now that the counter is so high that you can't even see the employees this exacerbates bad service/mediocre food. I want to root for this place and I'll try it one more time but what a disappointment. read more

The food is pretty great! I liked the takoyaki a lot! The sauce was good and the texture was amazing. The taro bingsu was pretty good the first few bites but then tasted mainly like tap water after a while. Overall, it was very pricey for what I got (which is expected since it's in carytown), but it's a cool place to stop at! They have really cool decorations and the other food looks pretty good. read more

Chum Chum Onigiri - Taro bingsu - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The boba milk tea here is good but the price is way way too over priced. The milk tea itself cost $5.99 plus topping is an additional $0.75, the boba is not chewy but it tastes okay. Another thing is that they do a minimum of $10 credit card. I had to order 2 drinks because I didn't carry any cash. For 2 drinks it cost around $15 with tax, aka $7/drink, which is worth a chipotle bowl. There wasn't a lot of selection for your milk tea but thankfully I picked a good one. I recommend the chum chum milk tea. The milk tea and the cream is super good, the boba is okay. The place is super cute though, definitely worth the aesthetic! read more

Food was beyond mid I got the vegan spam & 3 spice mushroom onigiri none of it was good like literally none of it. Whatever is used for the vegan spam is not good and don't try anything cold. No bathroom, no water just vibes and the vibes are rancid at that! Person who helped us was kind enough but not very helpful. Enjoy! read more

This place is amazing! I hadn't heard anything about it but I went to Tokyo market and saw them next store. Got onigiri spicy tuna, a "blink blink" drink and a brown sugar bubble tea. It was some of the best Boba I've ever had next to shilla bakery in centerville. Not a huge variety but good options. Vegan inclusive. It was such fast service! Easily one of my favorite places on Cary street! Do yourself a favor and try them. Small shop and kind of hard to find parking but worth it. Decent prices. Adorable atmosphere! 11/10!!! They have line markers in place for social distancing. Would not plan to eat in on busy hours, only three tables(2 outside). read more

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Alrighty, so Kokee Tea has been my go to for boba, but I finally decided to try boba from Chum Chum and I was not disappointed. I got the Chum Chum Milk Tea with Jasmine Green Tea and it slapped harder than my mom's spankings. It is rather pricey (costs about the price of a meal...ouchie), but I'd like to imagine it was made with love, but the platonic kind. Chum Chum has a nice farmer's market vibe. They have a seating area, fresh ingredients, the fridge with food ingredient stuff. You name it, 50% chance they have it. The main thing I used to go to Chum Chum's for was for their Onigiri. I've tried their tuna filled one and curry filled one. 4 Ok hand signs out of 6. Will have onigiri and boba here again. read more

The girls working are unfriendly and did nothing except take the ice out of the cup and handing it back to me after asking for no ice and it was half way empty and I paid 11$ for that regular cup of boba.. and the boba was hard and cold. 0/10 never come here . GO TO SNOW ICE HOUSE !!!! right up the street read more

$17 for a small onigiri and a coffee half full. It took 30 minutes to get it. I have been here twice now because I realllyyy wanted to give it another chance.... but the customer service is almost as awful as their pricing. read more

We picked a couple of onigiri before we go eat. There's a cute market inside and you can order everything from spam musubi to bento boxes. The spicy tuna onigiri was realllly good. read more

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I have been to this place multiple times! Every time I leave satisfied. They have great boba, onigiri, spam musubi, and rice bowls. I do my best to try something different each time and haven't been disappointed yet! The interior is really cool and has lots of fun locally made things to look at while you wait for your food. There isn't much indoor seating but that hasn't been an issue. read more

I'm pretty picky with my drinks but I give this one a solid 10/10. The boba was soft and the drink was just really good! They have non-dairy options which is a big plus for me. The place is small with a very cute and comfortable atmosphere. The customer service was also more than wonderful. I'll definitely be coming back to try more! read more

Chum Chum Onigiri - okinawa milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

This is the Best coffee in town and the food is great too!! It is organic and it has a very fresh taste!

Me and my bf had to come check this place out. Of course if your familiar with Carytown you know parking sucks but luckily my bf was there to helped me park lol . The place is small but packed with a lot a different goodies . From snacks , drinks , dry fresh herbs for teas , different drinks , pickled garlic "yum" to seasonings . Its like a small little market . The employees was nice and helpful . I ordered the Spam Musubi! It was nice and flavorful! My first time tasting seaweed paper , wasn't really a fan do to the fishy flavor but the sticky rice and spam was really good . I also ordered the chicken dumplings and it came with this thick dipping sauce which brought the dumplings to life ! They were moist and fresh . I also ordered the chicken Katsu ! It was pretty okay I had a big piece of chicken skin in mines which threw me off a little because the texture , if it ain't crunchy I don't want it lol but overall it was pretty okay I felt like it could have been a lot better if it came with a sauce or had sauce in it . Last but not least I ordered the rainbow passion fruit drink , it had a bit of a after taste but it was flavorful , my son drunk mines and his !!! Y'all come check it out read more

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Overpriced food/drink and no bathroom accessible for customers. Can employees not clean a toilet now-a-days? Lol. Slow service for drinks and still confuse orders. Some cool knick knacks but thats it. read more

Chum Chum Onigiri! You made my dreams come true. Each rice ball I ordered brought me too much joy to account for! The store is small so the off chance their is a crowd, it would for sure take over the store. But the rice ball's were so worth the wait. If you want, they will give it to you cold or warmed up. Both ways are good, but nice and cold is superior during this HOT season! The garlic butter , the spicy tuna mayo , chicken katsu , the braised pork belly , each more delicious than the last, in said order. Would definitely return in the future! read more