I recently went here and got the iced Thai coffee. It was ok. I have yet to try other drinks. The employees were nice and the sitting area is small and is mostly two-seater tables. This place is located in McCully Shopping center and while they do have parking up front, it's not much parking and it tends to get pretty busy here. Just keep in mind that if you pay with a card it is a minimum of $10. There was a couple of times where I didn't have cash and I just had to buy a snack or dessert to meet the minimum. read more

Stopped in for half an hour to answer some emails and got Thai Tea. Workers were sweet and knowledgeable about their menu. Clean space, nice decor, quick service. Thai tea was great, looking forward to come back. January 2026 prices. read more

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Coffee or Tea has been around for ages; used to frequent this place before all the bubble tea shops sprouted all over the island. It's been a while since my last visit. I'm not sure if I've been spoiled by the availability of other milk teas and boba, or if the quality of the teas here have declined, or if their teas have always been this diluted and I never knew better coz it was the only convenient choice. Not the best or the worst I've had; they'll do in a pinch if I am craving boba. read more

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First time here. Very nice interior. Huge selection of drinks in an easy to read menu board. Service was quick and friendly. I got a mocha frappe shake which was very good but I guess I expected a thicker shake. Fiancé had a coffee with boba. We both got large but we think we can get smalls next time. read more

Coffee or Tea in McCully Shopping Center is one of my go-to spots for a refreshing treat. I ordered the Shave Ice #5 to go, which comes loaded with custard pudding, tea jello, herb jello, tapioca pearls, and a generous drizzle of condensed milk over finely shaved ice. It's a delicious mix of textures and flavors--always consistent, never too sweet, and definitely big enough to share (easily feeds 2-3 people). The shop is located on the first floor, just to the right of the elevator. During weekday daytime hours, there are usually 1-2 workers, and while it can get busy, service is pretty efficient. This time, my order was ready in about 5-7 minutes. Highlights: - Shave Ice #5 is flavorful, balanced, and generously portioned - Consistent quality every visit - Convenient location with easy access - Reasonable wait time even during busy hours Giving this place 4 out of 5 stars only because the parking situation is rough. The front lot does not have enough stalls for the amount of businesses occupying the building, and it's almost always full. There is additional parking underneath the building with the entrance on Pumehana St., but even that can get crowded. I usually bring someone with me so they can hop out and grab the order in case there's no parking available. The food/service itself is great -- it's really just the parking that makes the experience a bit stressful. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Highly recommended by my younger niece. Definitely lived up to my expectations and more. The Milk Tea is legit. We ordered Strawberry Milk Tea, Wintermelon Milk Tea, Lychee Smoothie and Caramel Latte. All were so delicious. Not too sweet at all. The menu selection is extensive. Lychee Smoothie flavor is spot on. I see they have very delicious and decadent looking cheesecake but we didn't try them. There's always a next time. They have inside seating, comfortable tables and chairs. The service staff are friendly and work efficiently. read more

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I know the place is called Coffee or Tea, but honestly... I never get either. I'm here strictly for the watermelon juice. It's my absolute favorite. Sure, you could make it yourself -- but let's be real, who has time for that? For the price (at least for now), it's totally worth it. If inflation really hits, maybe I'll invest in a juicer and go DIY. But until then, I'll keep coming back here for my watermelon fix. Priorities. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Watermelon Juice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Shave ice was one of the best I've ever had! Customer service by the young girl and older man was the best, patient sweet and the man even walked our order to our table. I got the build your own shave ice to go it was big, super fine but did not melt, chose 5 toppings condensed milk, vanilla cream cream, azuki bean, custard, and taro. All were excellent but the taro needed work it was too chunky and the texture wasn't great. But otherwise I ate it all! Super refreshing!!! read more

Their shave ice options are very good. My favorite is the coffee version that is simply addictive. Been back here several times and will be back for more. read more

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We did a quick cheesecake "grab-n-go", so didn't experience every thing they had to offer. Based on the service we received I would love to return to try some of the drinks they have. BB read more

Taste? Yummy! Price? Convenient and affordable. As with every Coffee or Tea location this place is consistent. Everything off the menu is always well made and quickly served, even during rush hours. The staff are competent, friendly? Not so much. Had to dock stars for presentation. Unfortunately this location doesnt seal their drinks like other boba shops, so my milk tea came in a clear cup with a lid. The drink was filled beyond the rim meaning spillage! Every squeeze of the cup led to sticky drink everywhere! Messy! read more

Feeling thirsty, we decided to indulge in some boba tea. The staff was welcoming, and inside, we found miffy blind boxes and trinkets for sale. We ordered an Assam milk tea with coffee jelly and a honeydew tea, both at 50% sugar. The drinks turned out to be quite enjoyable, with a bold iced tea flavor that hit the spot. read more

I came here because I was craving shave ice similar to Meet Fresh, and this spot definitely did the job. I loved all the tea jellies and tapioca balls, and the ice had just the right amount of condensed milk. The ice cream on top was amazing. The only downside is that the service isn't great, there's not much seating, and parking can be tough. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Shaved Ice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My daughter and son-in-law stopped by to grab boba teas so I decided to get a chocolate milk tea. The tea was really delicious and had a nice chocolate flavor. I can see why this is my daughter's go to place when she wants a chocolate milk tea. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Chocolate Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Babe and I decided to go for dessert since she was lacking some appetite, so we decided to get some sweets as appetizer instead. Coffee or tea is the OG in bubble drinks and this would be my first time trying out their save ice. The ice were pretty soft, not bad I guess but it ain't waiola shave ice good. The service was chill, can't remember if they smile but its alright because its not like they servers. The place is well lit and had some Taiwanese snacks on sale. I was curious if they are expired or not since its been there for a minute and its more like decorations than actual merchandise. Anyhow, they qualify to satisfy the basic bubble drink amd shave ice needs at night. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is the home of my favorite drinkable dessert. The expresso shake with boba is life-changingly delicious! Beware, this contains expresso, so getting this drink after dinner might cause the average bear to have trouble sleeping. Me? Nah. I am an expert-level sleeper. I have been known to get this drink late at night and fall asleep an hour after. LOL The shake is delicious, it contains ice cream, ice, and other goodness (milk I guess). It is usually really smooth, not crunchy like an icee or other blended smoothie. The boba here is really good. On the rare occasions that they are out of the regular boba, I get the mini boba. Just as tasty, but in a smaller package. Aside from the expresso shake, I have got the momi coffee, which is tasty. A couple of drawbacks to this coffee shop: first, the parking can be tricky. About half of the stalls in the top lot are way too small for an average size car. If the top lot is full, you can try the underground lot, but there are also a lot of tiny stalls down there too. A second drawback is that credit card purchases require a minimum purchase of $10. It's fine, I just need to remember to bring cash. read more

One of my favorites! I opted for the #4 shave ice- piled high with strawberries, pineapples, chewy tapioca pearls, velvety condensed milk, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream! The vibe is relaxed and fun, perfect for grabbing a quick treat. Everything is so yummy you can't go wrong! Staff is kind and the service is quick and efficient!!! Will be back soon read more

Coffee or Tea? - #4 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

A true classic. Used to go often in high school since it was close and cheaper than many other boba offerings around town. Purchased the assam milk tea gallon size which came in a gallon jug (the kind you'd get milk in). Boba came on the side so it was still warm by the time we started drinking. Definitely got more than 10 servings out and our party was pleased :) only downside is that cups, boba, and straws must be purchased separately, but what can you say, times are tough ‍ Service and ambiance haven't changed in the last 10 years, never change coffee or tea read more

Been going here for the past 10 years. No boba place has stayed this consistent - low prices, good flavors, and amazing boba. I always order the vanilla milk tea with boba. Unlike many boba places, Coffee or Tea does not charge for added boba. Their boba is one the best on the island, being large, chewy, and sweet. Service is super fast, and there is seating available. Please never change. You are perfect, Coffee or Tea read more

They have all kinds of drinks, smoothies. Also, if you can read Chinese, there are a lot of books. read more

Coffee or Tea? - papaya milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My husband ordered hot black coffee with extra shot of espresso. They gave him ice coffee instead. My husband said that's not what he ordered. Both workers started speaking with their language for few minutes and told my husband they can heat up the ice coffee. Not only did they get the order completely wrong, but suggesting they heat up the iced coffee is truly an absurd "solution." My husband requested to make him a new one. They did but they do not look happy. read more

Coffee shop that serves shaved ice, desserts, coffee, and tea. It is on the first floor of a strip mall. They served a little bit of everything. I came in for the shaved ice. It comes with green tea ice cream, azuki beans, condensed milk, tapioca balls. I decided to hold the tapioca balls and condensed milk. Service is excellent, employees are friendly and helpful. The azuki beans are very good and not too sweet. The green tea ice cream is very mild and very light green tea taste. The portion is HUGE! This is more for sharing than for one person. I wish they would have told me that and I would have ordered a smaller item for just myself. I only half the portion because it was just too much. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Shaved ice with azuki beans and green tea ice cream - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Coffee or Tea? That's not why I'm here today ;) I'm here for their shave ice. We got #4. The shave ice is topped off with strawberries, pineapples, tapioca pearls condensed milk and vanilla ice cream. This combination is sweet and tangy. A perfect combination when you're slightly feeling down as it gives you the tangy wake up call for your tastebuds while reminding you how sweet your life is ;) We also got their #5. The shave ice is topped with both coffee and tea jello, coffee syrup, condensed milk and coffee ice cream. This is my favorite because it got both coffee and tea. The bold coffee taste with the gentle tea flavor blends well together. It has a nice rhythm as the flavors dances in your mouth;) We also tried their chocolate shake. This is a nice shake for your little ones who love chocolates! The chocolate cake is a bit dry. I'm not sure if this is homemade but it's not worth having again. It looks good. But that's it. If I may, I'd like to ask that they greet customers with a smile. This isn't my first time here but I have never been greeted with a smile. It's always something about taking my order. A hi or hello would be nice. Thank you for reading my review. Have a great week! read more

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Very good tea shop here. Service is always good , nice and clean inside. Always stopping by here for a quick fix for my caffeine addiction lol . read more

Coffee or Tea? - Watermelon juice and boba tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I don't care what people say. they have the best milk tea flavor! black milk tea has the perfect tea and milk ratio, and oolong is a personal favorite. everyone should try read more

Wow, I can't believe this place has been around since 1999. If I remember correctly this was the first boba milk tea place on the island or one of the firsts. Their prices are still reasonable compared to newer boba spots. Most of the drinks that I've tried from here are pretty good. What makes it stand out for me is the papaya milk and papaya shake. I got hooked on it when I was in Taiwan. People there love papaya milk. I know it's foreign to most Americans. Whenever I order it my husband gives me this funny look. He hates it and says it's not for him. There are a few places that sell papaya milk, but this is the only place that I've found that sells papaya shake. Papaya milk is of course blended with milk. Papaya shake is blended with vanilla ice cream. They let you choose one free topping with your drink. I mostly get the boba. However, this time around the boba was on the mushy side and didn't have that chew to it. The one thing that I don't like is that they use paper straws. Paper straws just turn me off because I'm just drinking paper. Luckily, I have a Yelp metal boba straw that Emmett brought over from San Diego. Thank you! You're a life saver. I'm still giving it five stars because the majority of the time the drinks are good. Plus, it's the OG boba milk place. Mad respect that it's still in business after 24 years with all these fancier places popping up. Sometimes, when the product speaks for itself it doesn't need all that fluff. read more

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Good tapioca with a solid brown sugar flavor. Avocado smoothie was fresh and hit the craving just right, but was quite a bit expensive in my opinion. Services sometimes can be slow as I've noticed in recent visits but they have a small area for seating and socializing. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Fresh Avocado Shake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Coffee or Tea is a hole in the wall boba spot because it's located in a small shopping center with historically bad parking, but if you can get it in, it's worth it Open until 12am most days, a lot of college days were spent on boba runs for their delicious and smooth drinks that range from fruity slushees to regular milk tea to coffee, and everything in between, even avocado The inside is nice when it's hot outside and having A/C, while the workers make the drinks fast to enjoy it even faster, we got the jasmine milk tea with grass jelly and it hit the spot read more

Coffee or Tea? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Coffee or Tea? I like both! Opened since 1999! It was a hit before the boba craze and milk tea craze. Now these types of shops are literally EVERYWHERE in Hawaii, and still opening up! I used to go to Coffee or Tea quite often with my mom when it first opened. Mainly because they had Chinese newspapers and books she could read. Her drink of choice was red bean milk tea with boba. For me, I'm not even sure how I kept myself entertained. I haven't been here in many, many years. Possibly 10+ years! Coffee or Tea has been located at the first level of the McCully Shopping Center since 1999! There's parking Street level and another lot underground. The interior looks exactly the same. Giving off the usual cafe vibes. Newspapers are gone, but the bookcase is still there with books. I wonder if they're the same too! Typical menu of coffees, milk and regular teas with fruity flavors, shakes, smoothies, and some dessert items. I tried Thai Coffee--hot. It tasted....like light, regular coffee with the slightest hint of bitterness. It wasn't anything special. Didn't taste any condensed milk, if any. It wasn't strong. No spices. Was I expecting too much? The regular Assam Milk Tea was good. Not too sweet and decent tea flavor. You get to choose only one free add on (special ones +25 cents). I chose the coffee jelly, and those were good! Really good coffee flavor. A different version of Yin Yang Coffee Milk Tea lol. At the end of the day, it might be just another milk tea/boba shop in a sea of them that's constantly expanding to all places on Oahu. But their longevity speaks for itself. You can trust them to make it right (sans the noobies who just started working there), and the prices are quite reasonable that hasn't really changed much in 10 years. Service was good. Friendly and efficient. read more

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Came back after a no milk tea diet for several years.. and now that's utterly destroyed! A friend picked up their gallon jug.. and now I always love going here and getting their gallon jug with Assam tea & "small" cup of custard on the side. Quotation marks emphasize small but it really isn't small, it's a ton of pudding in one cup! I always feel like it's worth it . And I end up drinking it everyday for a week after. Will always come back again! read more

Sip sip hooray for Coffee or Tea? No it's not a question...hmm well I guess it kinda is but one thing for sure it's a great place to have your coffee or tea. This McCully Shopping Center location is located on the ground floor right beside the elevator and be prepared if it's your first time here as there's a lot going on, besides the usual coffee, bubble tea, shakes and smoothies they also have shave ice, and a display case and shelves filled with desserts and snacks. With signs posted on the plexiglass for a nudge-nudge suggestions of "Fresh Papaya Milk", "Ube Walls $1", even "cheese foam" add on it really doesn't help in your decision making though I stuck with mine after looking at the menu on the front door...Crystal Lemon. "What is it?" I asked and apparently it's Lemonade with crystal toppings and with my throat burning from exhaustion lately it sounded like exactly what I needed. The lemonade was soothing and just perfect...it didn't taste like the typical fountain lemonade not as sweet and slightly tart it was just heavenly on my throat though the topping wasn't exactly crystal but a colorful mixed jellies. Drinks do come in three sizes 16oz grande, 23oz jumbo and 32oz super jumbo woah! What I do also love about this place is that there's a lot of seating though all tables are for two tops there is about ten tables and there's free Wifi! I did get the Belgian Chocolate Mousse which is a serious chocoholic dream, a delightfully dark chocolate on top of chocolate with cookie crumbles not sure if it would be the perfect pairing with a lemony drink but I was still I satisfied. The great minds do drink alike but here the choices will make you think... Thank you! read more

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We always come here .this is my favorite place. I love their milk tea. But today . My milk tea tasted so different. It's so watery and no favors my son said the milk tastes like spoiled , I go back ask them and they tell me because I didn't order any toppings? I always order the milk tea no topping,the problem is not about the toppings. It's milk tea .I asking them can you put some syrup or brown sugar can help me taste better? They told me brown sugar cost money...... I wanna say thank you very much !!!!! read more

Had the frozen coffee frappe. It was good. My friend had some boba . This lady is fast ! In a couple of minutes she made four drinks. My friend paid I took some pictures and the drinks were done. read more

Coffee or Tea? - More deserts - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My sisters and I always order the super jumbo size (32 oz) Assam Milk Tea with boba and lychee jelly. This is one of my favorite boba shops on the island due to their affordability, not sure where else I can get a boba milk tea for ~$5-6, it seems like nowadays $7-8 is the norm for drinks. I do find their milk tea to be on the sweeter side but don't think the sweetness level can be adjusted since they pre make it in gallon jugs. I would say that's the only downside to this place. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Been craving boba for awhile and this place had my favorite, red bean slushy, which isn't too common at boba places. The texture and flavor were good, but I personally didn't like the fact that I couldn't see the inside of the cup, unless I ripped off the top. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Dessert in Honolulu, Hawaii... Located on the ground level of McCully Shopping Center, "Coffee or Tea?" serves shaved ice, too! My friend from First Grade was visiting from Virginia and wanted dessert after dinner. We had parked for free right in front of Coffee or Tea? and had just finished dinner upstairs at Yi Pin Mala Tang. We looked at the picture menu and walked in. There's no inside seating. It's take-out only. We decided that we'd go back upstairs and sit at one of the tables outside of The Test Kitchen. Portions are rather large. The menu states that it's for two people. Ahhh... That's why we were given four spoons with our two orders! I had the #6 shaved ice with mango, strawberry, plums (tart ume with seed), crystal jello, and boba (tapioca pearls). It was refreshing and fruity! I liked it - except the sour plums... Haha! This is a very convenient dessert place that closes at 9:00 p.m. I can imagine myself returning with some friends! read more

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I have been coming to this location since before high school days and let me tell you, that was over 13 years ago. I love the jasmine milk tea here the best. No where on this island has beat them in my opinion. I now live on the west side so I have to buy in bulk now just to get my cravings under control. So glad they sell by the gallon and you get way more for your money this way too! Service is always great. Staff is happy and efficient when taking your order and getting you out without a long wait. Best thing you should do though is call in your order. As they are always busy. Take out or stay in to finish your drink. The ambiance is wonderful, they have tables and chairs and sell yummy snacks too but their drinks are all great! My children always get smoothies from here when we are in town! Purchased my gallon Sunday night. Delicious! read more

Coffee or Tea? - Jug of Jasmine Milk Tea and jumbo cup of Tea jelly - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Service was slow and the owner/manager who was on duty was disrespectful to both me and my girlfried. The place itself is very nice and clean, but the smoothies/shakes that we got had too strong of a taste. When we tried to exchange them we were mocked by the owner and were stared at with mean looks by him on our way out. read more

The staff is friendly and the shave ice is nice. However, the fruit toppings are mostly syrup and the red bean is mushy. Not recommended for the price they charge on the shave ice. read more

Located at the ground floor of the McCully shopping center, this mall is busy and not easy to find parking on a busy Friday or Saturday night. After our dinner, we come here for dessert. The place I was empty, to workers working inside and we ordered an Azuki bean, tapioca pearl. Condensed milk green tea ice cream, it was pretty good in size and tow of us could not finish at the end. I found this dessert is kind of plain in taste, it has a lot of ice underneath the topping to make the dessert look big. The place does look clean and quiet because there were hardly any customers inside when we were there. I must say I am not a fan of this dessert, may be I will try other item next time and give it one more chance. read more

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