Cool cafe. We made a pit stop here on our way to Mt. Baldy. It has a chill vibe, and looks like a cafe I could find in the Mission in SF. It has a mash-up of random furniture, free wireless, and even a bookshelf with some random books and board games. Their menu had quite the variety of drinks including Boba drinks and some munchies too. I had a soy latte which was well-made, and surprisingly not too bitter. Nice place, if I lived in Claremont this would definitely be my spot to do a little work and get a little caffeine fix. read more

Really bad bad service like so bad that it's not even a joke. The boba is mediocre, just go to Tpumps or boba world !

Employees are extremely rude. The old asian lady said i wasn't welcome to come there anymore because i didn't order anything. When i tried explaining that i didn't order because i was fasting and that i would leave, she just kept saying "i don't know english" and was very rude. Avoid at all costs. read more

pros: large beverage selection, charming location, feels kind of like a local secret. comfy chairs, board games, and plenty of patio seating. open mic nights on thursdays (around 8:30) can get pretty interesting. Free wifi. cons: location is hard to find, (sort of tucked into an alley) drinks are mediocre, water is not free, anyone who enters the cafe MUST make a purchase, but the real deal breaker for me is that the staff are incredibly rude. read more

I've always known the Female owner to be a bit rude and tonight solidified that assumption. I purchased a tea from the owner and sat at a small table with a friend by the door, there weren't any others available inside but one that has two chairs side by side in a very uncomfortable space. So I move one of the chairs to the appropriate side of the table so I'm not shoulder to shoulder with the person I'm with. Minutes after doing this she comes and starts flailing her arms at us, telling us in broken English to move the chairs back and sit in the corner. I get up, Ask what's the problem. She tries her best to tell me we are blocking the selection of tea on that side ( a side that the owners chose to place a table at)...so my friend opens the door to just go outside and avoid her antics and she starts slapping the the back of the chair aggressively telling us to put it back before we even got a chance to do so. I can't say I won't be back but she won't be met with courtesy or respect, something she is very undeserving of. read more

If i could give this place a 0 i would. The owner is rude, the papers posted everywhere with ridiculous rules are annoying and the conditions placed on simply just stepping inside the store are a turn off. I'd rather be ordering tea from the 7-11. read more

It was a cute place to come at night and do some homework, reading, or probably hang out with some friends and get a cup of tea. It's very chill and a really cute concept on tea. So many to choose from! :) Came here with my boyfriend to get some sleepy tea, I got the Night Nite tea and he got the Midsummer Nights tea, let's just say it did the job! We liked it and had a good time sipping on some tea in the patio area :) I'd go back :) read more

I love this place, I go almost every Thursday for thier open mic.They have great Thai Tea bolba and awesome sweet Hot tea. The atmospher is great very relaxed and chill. Definatley a place you should check out! read more

I have been going to CK for the last six years. It has good tea, coffee (better than Starbucks) and smoothies. It is as sincerely unpretentious as it gets. They are also open later than any of the area coffee shops, which tend to close around 10:00PM. read more

Walked into this hole-in-the-wall tea shop that took me several tries to find since it was hidden in the parking lot.. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the counter covered in an abundant variety of tea leaves. This got me really excited since I looooove tea! The next thing I noticed was the aroma of tea leaves that was very enticing. Looking around and smelling the tea, I had to ask the employee what these ball of tea leaves were. She explained to me that they bloom into a flower with hot water. Easily amused and wanting to see this blooming/blossoming tea, I wanted to try it! She recommended me the PEACH & LILY blooming tea. So I took her advice and ordered it hot with HONEY. Lo-and-behold she handed me the cup and there was a flower in it!! Aside from the blossoming tea leaves, the tea was delicious with the right amount of honey! I do recommend coming back here and ordering a drink to sit in. The main reason is because you get to see the blossoming tea leaves as they serve it to you in a huge clear mug to drink out of. This place is warm, cozy, and quiet area with plenty of tables, comfy chairs and outlets to study indoor. There are also outdoor seating for those that want to socialize and hookah. Despite what other yelpers has said about customer service here, I've never had a problem with any of the workers I've encountered. They greet me when I come in and are really helpful when coming to selecting teas. This is definitely one of my favorite places to go to in Claremont Village :) and is a hidden gem in Claremont. No kidding, it really is hidden. Glad I did not give up my several failed attempts of trying to find the place! FYI, it is located in the parking lot behind Espiau's. Pros: Free Wi-Fi with outlets to plug your laptop! Great place to study Variety of drinks Hookah Cons: A bit hard to find read more

Wish there were negative stars to give. Tonight, my four friends and I dined in to this recommended place to try out the boba drinks. As we approached the counter, the lady began talking down to us females when we were asking about the drinks, (as it was all of our first time there). We were in utter shock. We couldn't believe we were being treated in such a manner. The woman acted as if we were a nuisance when all we wanted was to order. Her negative and condescending attitude put a damper on the mood and environment. I HIGHLY recommend to look elsewhere for boba or tea. No drink is worth the disrespect of this horrid female owners attitude and degrading body language. I'm still in shock as I write this unfortunate, yet much needed review. Learn your manners and educate yourself on communicational skills for the public. Shame on you!!! read more

This place is an interesting spot, but I love this place. The old man is grumpy and sort of barks at you when he talks, but he makes really good tea. (Though recently I haven't seen him around, mostly just his family members.) The cafe is also in a really sketchy place, but I think all of this (and the weird rules at the place) all add to its character. I think they have the best boba tea because they have a good boba to tea ratio. Their boba milk tea is delicious and really distinct from other milk teas I've had. The fruity green teas are also a good choice! read more

This is a must go for tea lovers. Many options to chose from and also have games to play as you enjoy your tea. However, the man working the register can be rude when one has a question. My friends and I always go here after eating a meal within the Claremont area. Definitely worth a try. read more

Come for the tea, stay for the abuse. I'm a big fan of following rules and watching others get yelled at for messing up, so I love this place. I recommend the ginger tea. read more

Great place, super cool atmosphere but I feel attacked every time I go. The main guy who runs the place literally scares me. I'm afraid to order every time. But check it out for sure. read more

It's a good place to chill and study. The atmosphere is relaxed, and lacking pretentious annoyances that Claremont tends to be fond of...also the coffee and tea are less then five bucks, and there's hookah. There's also live music on Thursdays, there's a piano that some people play out of random on any given day, and the owner Mr. Pong is pretty chill, easy going and what not, he remembers what you order if you go in regularly, all in all it's a pretty cool hole in the wall place. read more

This has been my go to place for Boba for years. Service: Don't expect much. It's a right of passage to come here and be treated rudely. Equally, the man does not speak English very well. It may be very difficult to understand him and he has very little patience. Drinks: Excellent. So many choices, never disappointing me. Overall, I come here to catch up with friends and to relax a bit. The ambiance is nice along with the drinks. If this were any other place, I'd give it 3 stars, but I have accumulated so much sentimental value to this place over the years, it gets 4. read more

This is a great tea house to visit. Located in an alley way behind Some Crusts and beside La Piccoletta it's definitely a quaint little cafe. Ive been a regular for the last 5 years and love this place to pieces. The owners can be a bit rude but they are completely cool as long as you follow the rules. Come in, buy a drink, and be respectful. They will kick you out if you are too rambunctious or disrespectful or if you don't buy anything. It's a business not a place to hang out. It takes a little while to get to know everyone there but it's worth it. This place is a favorite for many types of different people. I've seen professors, students, foreign visitors, Buddhist monks and so many other amazing people. read more

The tea is amazing! And I love the atmosphere! But that was the worst customer service ever! I tried to assume the best.. "They probably just having a bad day"... But nope! That's just how they are.. It's so sad:( read more

this place is a gem and anyone who thinks they have bad customer service, just go somewhere else bc you're the problem. they are nice and i've never had a problem with them for any time i've been here. try 'cave of wonders' bc it's fire read more

The lady was rude. She started yelling at us for no reason. Even though two people got drinks, she wanted to force the rest of us to buy a drink at the very moment. Even though, we were going to and we barely sat down she kept screaming at us to buy something. Please, if you are going there, be careful with this woman because she is really rude. They have to understand that customers are eventually going to buy something but please, let them seat down AT LEAST. read more

My friends and I come here quite often. It's a fun place to hang out, get a great tea/coffee, and play board games. I recommend coming here for a date or just to hang out. read more

I only come for the tea and they are good. Any of them with jasmine or peach have been the best I have tried

The owner harassed my friends and I within the minute we walked into the tea house. I have been coming to CK for years and I was so upset by this interaction that I wanted to cry. My friend and I had walked into the tea house to meet up with our other friends who already had a table. It was a hot day so I went to set my stuff down at the table and chill for a minute before I ordered. The owner came up to us in a hostile manner with the CK rules while yelling at us to order. I was astounded because all my other friends had drinks and we were obviously going to order drinks as well but she proceeded to kick us out. Worst experience at a restaurant in my life. read more

Awesome!!! After reading all the reviews about this famously mean elderly man i decided to come for the experience. I was not let down at all. The place was completely empty, no music playing, and crouched behind the counter was a sullen old man glowering at me and my boyfriend. My boyfriend tried ordering drinks for us at the counter and he was instantly annoyed and replied "what?! You bring here!" We just smiled at each other and brought him our respective teas. He continued to mean mug me and my boyfriend as we finished our order and paid. We patiently awaited our teas and when we finally got them his demeanor seemed to have changed to that of a polite older gentleman, kill them with kindness as we always say. We take our teas which are beautiful, and quite captivating, they had plenty of flowers in them but tasted of nothing but honey. All in all, an entertaining experience. read more

Love this place!!! I've never seen such a wide variety of healing teas!! Some of them bloom like a flower in your cup. I plan on trying every one. read more

The service here is absolutely terrible. The guy was too cheap to sell me a cup of ice. He also told me that he would bring me my drink to my table but never did. I was astonished by how rude he was to all of his customers. I would not recommend anyone to go there unless you like dirty tables and bad customer service. read more

I was a customer to this business for 4.5 years. I was out with my friend and sister one day after school and they decided that they wanted to go to ck's for boba and I decided to go along with it. I am well aware of the owner's rude attitude but he had never yelled at me until that day. When we first entered the café I already noticied that the old man was in a bad mood but I ordered anyways. I ordered first and accidentally ordered the chai tea instead of the milk tea. In the MIDDLE of making my order he asked for the money, 5.50. I was surprised by how expensive it was and when I asked him about it he looked at me like I was crazy for asking him about the price and yelled "WHATTT"! I was shocked that he dared yell at me but I responded calmly that the milk tea should be 3.75 like on the menu. I knew that this wasn't going to go well and I was assured of this when he continued to yell at me in front of my friend and sister as well as other customers "YOU ODRER CHAI TEA NOT MILK TEA! YOU WANT CHAI OR MILK!?" I said that I wanted milk boba and then he asked for the price which was then 4.50. I was very displeased with his rude attitude and customer service and was about to put up with his bullshit by paying for the damn drink but then I reconsidered and decided that I did not come into his café to get yelled at and then pay him for it, so last minute I pulled my $5 back and said "you know what, I don't want anything". I turned to my friend and sister and told them that if they wanted anything that that was fine, but that I was leaving. The owner looked at me as if he really couldn't believe that I was going to leave. With my money in hand I left and as I was leaving he continued to yell at me "YOU CRAZY! YOU CRAZY! YOU ORDER CHAI TEA!" I left and waited outside when my friend and sister showed up, they hadn't bought anything either. By this point everyone at the café had turned in shock to look at the owner and at me because they couldn't believe that he actually talked to a customer in that way. Now, I understand that it was my fault for ordering the wrong drink and I get that he didn't want to waste his materials but in no way did that give him the right to yell at me like I was a 5 year old child, especially since I had been a returning customer who was giving him money for drinks that would run his business. I am never going to return to CK's again, I am talking my money elsewhere to respectful businesses who don't treat their customers like crap. If your looking for a good place for boba I recommend Last Drop or the Full Of Life café who is run by a very polite and patient Asian lady with kind customer service, that's where I will be getting my boba from now on. BTW: aside from the awful customer service, CK's has always been a little dirty and dingy and if you enter from the side of the parking lot you have to walk by people who smoke by the entrance so the air quality is really bad. They also have a stupid set of rules by their door that says that if you enter their store YOU HAVE TO BUY A DRINK and at least 1 drink per person so no sharing. You also can't be in the store if you're waiting for a friend to buy something, you either buy something too or get out. Lastly they have a $20 electricity charge if you want to charge your laptop. Seriously though? 20 bucks? Not that I would ever charge my laptop there but seriously that fee is so expensive and they are overcharging people who do plug in there. Why though? when you can do it for free at the library right down the street? Also they can't force people to but their drinks so the fact that they have that stupid rule just ticks me off. Overall they are not a customer friendly place and all they care about is getting your money. If I could give this place 0 stars I would. Anyways that is my LAST experience from CK's, enter if that's the kind of customer service that you want to put up with.... read more

WORST EXPERIENCE EVER! SPEND YOUR MONEY SOMEWHERE WHERE PEOPLE VALUE & RESPECT YOU. My friend & I walked in checked out some of the teas & got an idea of what we would order. We sat in the outdoor area to finish our school work. We still had our unfinished drinks from the previous cafe we had been to (left it b/c it was too loud). So we decided we'd finish them first(we didn't want to throw away $12 worth of fine coffee in the trash). LITTLE DID WE KNOW a woman would come out to SCREAM at us infront of everyone for bringing in drinks. We explained to her kindly we were just finishing them & that we were going to buy something inside. She continued to yell at us & told us to GET OUT! She made a huge scene, we packed our stuff & left w/o saying anything else. We were appalled, I'm an entrepreneur & understand "rules" in a business. If approached differently we would have understood. But! there is no excuse for that kind of behavior nor disrespect towards a (new)customer or just anybody in general. Please go support another cafe & avoid this place. read more

Fantastic tea and so so many choices. Owners only strict if you're freeloading. Great place to go to work on writing or reading and have a smoke in the back. read more

Mr. Pongggg!! That guy knows some serious kung fu. Service is excellent. Love the blossom tea!

I believe in the recent years there has been a new owner, Mr. Pong. If you go there alot you tend to develop some sort of friendship with him. haha. If you ask him to, he`ll smoke an entire cigarette in one puff!! The setting of the area is nice, i mean your in a cafe! The smoothies are good, the tea is good, the coffee is ok... its just a really chill place to be. read more

If you love peanut butter like I do, you should stop into CK Cafe in Claremont. They have the best peanut butter smoothie.

Super rude Asian lady doesn't know how to respectfully speak to customers. The tea is good kinda weird that they serve the hot tea in random house hold looking . Good tea bad customer service read more

Terrible service, I had sat down with some friends, and this worker(might have been the owner) came and kicked us out because we didn't have any drinks. As we were deciding what we were going to get. We weren't even given a chance to order. What kind of place is this? Is it cause we're Mexican? Don't recommend coming here at all. Everyone else was left alone except us. Never coming back. read more

Located near the alley in Claremont Village, CK Cafe is a hidden gem where you can hang out and and chill. Just spending an hour in here either studying, relaxing, talking with someone over a cup of coffee, boba, tea, or even a chai latte is terrific and a time well spent. Moreover, the art in the walls were quite interesting to see and marvel at while striking up that conversation with a friend or two. read more

Great little tea shop. They have a variety of different tea flavor for a cheap price! I haven't tried their boba yet but Im sure its just as good as their teas. They have wifi, power outlets outdoors to charge your computer, and hookah. There is a set amount of rules when you arrive such as you must make a purchase, and the power outlets are strictly only for laptops and nothing else or there will be a 20 dollar charge for using it. The atmosphere is nice and the service is great and quick. If you're looing for a place to relax with friends or even to do some work, this is a nice place to me. read more

This place is tea heaven! So many choices! It is a little bit hard to find, however. It took me about 5 minutes of walking in circles to find it, but it wasn't that bad. When I came here for the first time, I was hoping that the mean old Asian man wouldn't be here because other reviews on yelp got me scared. So when I walked in and heard him yelling, "WHAT YOU WANT? HOT OR COLD? HONEY INSIDE?" I was anxious to order! Then I realized that he's not mean. He's just loud lol. And he was actually very nice to me when I ordered and even cracked a joke (: This guy really isn't that bad, but if you're the sensitive type and can't handle people yelling at you then maybe just spare yourself LOL The tea was bomb though! Nice place to just chill or do some homework. read more

Love the boba, and the atmosphere isn't bad, just kinda smokey from the ppl smoking cigarettes outside. The owner isn't as bad as everyone else has posted about, he just has a heavy accent and gets frustrated when you don't understand him. Good milk tea boba.. read more

My first and last time being here. The lady behind the counter was stuck on the phone while trying to take my order and I could already tell the service would be terrible, not professional by any standards...I got a Thai tea w/ boba and this is the first time I've seen Thai tea come pre-packaged out of the fridge and it didn't taste great. This is also the first time I've seen someone have to sign a waiver and give their ID in exchange for hookah. I thought that was pretty outrageous... The outside seating area isn't appealing whatsoever. The chairs were uncomfortable, the tables were off balance, and both were pretty dirty. There were signs on the surrounding walls with very strict rules for their customers. I can't remember all of them but the ones I can remember said something like: "you can't charge anything besides laptops" or "no outside food or drinks or we'll kick you out" and my favorite, "if you don't have a drink, we'll kick you out." Definitely didn't make me feel welcome. The hookah was terrible and cost more than it should have. The weak, smoke shop bought coals were barely heated on a portable stove and placed on a poorly maintained hookah that was on the table in between my friend and I instead of safely on the floor where it should have been. I'm a big fan of killing time and relaxing at coffee shops and I love smoking hookah but this place, which was supposed to have both, made me want to leave as soon as I got there. Never coming back. read more