I honestly don't know why this place only has 3.5 stars because the bubble tea is actually amazing. And I'm coming from bubble tea in Toronto. I had the hazelnut flavour and the mint tea flavour. Both were 5/5. Make sure you tell them how much ice or sugar you want because they don't always ask but it's totally customizable! Only downside is there's no washroom or wifi inside. read more

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

I am a coffee junkie. My go-to is usually a coffee shop in Ala Moana or Ward since I am almost always at one of those shopping centers...but NONE of those coffee shops offer coffee with tapioca balls in it. Thus, when I crave coffee with balls (wait for the awkward giggle/laugh), I go to Coffee or Tea? My friend introduced me to this wonderful coffee and tea shop months ago. She normally orders the milk tea and suggested that I get it, but I was hesitant to try it (I don't like cream in my tea..it seemed like a weird concept to me), so I opted for their momi coffee. Basically, the momi coffee is coffee with milk, slightly sweetened, and they have the pearls (or tapioca balls) in it. I LOVED it! There is something amazing about the coffee and the chewiness of the balls that just works. I have learned to not question such an anomaly and just go with it. Now, when I am craving iced coffee with balls, I go here. In fact, I have recommended this shop to my BFF since we are both caffeine junkies. They have a lot of other items on their menu, including their famous milk tea, as well as shaved ice. Please keep in mind that if you are not ordering their drinks and/or food, they will ask you to leave their shop since the tables and chairs are meant for patrons (per signage on the door). read more

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My favorite place to get milk tea!!!! I love getting their Thai Iced Tea with Custard and Tapioca Balls. When I want something a less sweet I get their Green Milk Tea with Custard and Tapioca Balls I like that their drinks are not too sweet. I pretty use the custard as the sweetener for my drinks. I suggest every try this place out at least once. Just make sure u understand that their MILK TEA drinks has the word "TEA" so all flavors of milk tea drinks will have a little bitterness from the tea. I brought my family here and they were ordering like coconut and other flavors expecting it to be like the regular bubble drinks, but it's not. I think it is something people over look since they are just ready to taste it. I love that bitterness in their milk teas, I still have to order their gallon TOGO! read more

Coffee or Tea? - Almond Milk Tea w/ Bubbles and Thai iced Tea w/ bubbles and custard - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Coffee or Tea had been the best place to get milk tea in Hawaii for past 15 years. Now they have other competition like Taste Tea and Kung Fu Tea near by. If you appreciate fresh brewed tea and not powder tea, this is the place for you. Unfortunately, you can't request to adjust sugar level. Their momi or boba is fresh and soft. I love their boba because it's not chewy. If you like your boba chewy you may not like theirs. The service is average. And of course when the owner is there service is even better. But that's the case in every business, right?! I've been their customer for over ten years. Their price is little more than others probably because they're located in McCully shopping center. This place is nice and cozy to hang with your friends over milk tea. I saw a sign saying they have another location in Pearl Kai but I couldn't locate when. read more

As much as I do love Lin's for bubble tea... I decided recently that I think Coffee or Tea is just a tad bit better than Lin's. It used to be the other way around but the tapioca at Lin's have been noticeable like harder? or maybe stale? As if they are just using old bubble or uncooked bubble? I don't know what it is but I definitely noticed it for the past 2 times I have gone there. As for Coffee or Tea.. the balls are perfect! nice and chewy lol. The milk tea there is a little bit lighter and I do like the milk tea at Lin's cause it's more milky but it's not much of a difference. My new favorite drink is the Jasmine milk tea with pudding AND bubble. Who knew that those 2 would go so well together! I've also heard some mixed reviews about the service at Coffee or Tea and honestly I've never had bad service there and I've been there A LOT! OHhh and the shave ice desserts with toppings are bombtastic!!! Perfect dessert!!! read more

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

Although in a busy shopping center with many food options, this place stands out for dessert or a quick drink. We got the jumbo milk tea with boba and pudding. It is definitely a yes! Plus, for $7 or could feed 2-3 peeps depending on how thirsty you are (assuming you ate at one of the nearby restaurants). Beware of too many options to choose from (that's never a bad thing right?). I'd definitely come back. read more

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

What is the mystery behind this popular place?? Honestly, I don't know, but I come back to this place that's in one of Hawaii's worst parking lots ever... Yet I still come and find parking and order my grande chocolate tea with no boba... Man, it's the adult chocolate milk... Think kids would like this too! It's a well kept lil establishment that is strict with no outside food or drinks, noise level, and time you're there and oh cash only, BUT the service is pleasant if you're pleasant... So far I've only experienced good vibes here... I've witness others who haven't been so lucky... So be patient and you'll be rewarded... Their specialties are mainly milk teas, shakes and desserts... Give them a try and see for yourself... Don't feel rushed if you don't know what to order... Take your time to look the menu and ask questions and get what you want. Grind On! Pau! read more

Coffee or Tea? - Chocolate No Boba and Milk with Lil Boba! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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ABSOLUTELY LOVED! I believe this is a family operated business so the hours are not early early morning hours, but it is so worth going literally any time they are open. I was in Hawaii on vacation and found this spot right around the corner from my hotel and I went there three times while I was there. I tried the milk tea and the taro milk tea. Both were amazing! These were sweet drinks (which I love)! The boba is great and they had so many things that looked so delicious and I am so sad I couldn't try more things! I recommend trying the Taro milk tea as you cannot find that just anywhere and it will probably never be as good as this place! The sizes and prices are great as well! read more

Coffee or Tea? - Taro Milk Tea with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place should rebrand as "Tea, Powder, or Syrup?" Stay away from the "coffee" entirely. It is bottom-of-the-pot burnt sludge. The iced coffee they gave me today came with expired, congealed creamer that suspended itself in the middle of the drink like mystery tofu. The milk teas are pretty good and they're known for their speed. I personally find the ice desserts to be too sweet, but they're very popular with kids and CoT was one of the first shops to introduce this Taiwanese dessert to Hawaii. $10 minimum for credit cards. read more

Needed some caffeine before heading out to the beach. Came here and got a double expresso with a scoop of ice cream. Great service. Environment was clean. The affogato was super good! Came back twice during my visit Hawaii. Will definitely be back! read more

Coffee or Tea? - Double shot expresso with scoop of ice cream. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This has always been my go-to place for some authentic taiwanese boba or taiwanese shave ice. I honestly have a ton of memories here and it's always on my list of "go to boba shops" that I rotate whenever I'm in the mood for milk tea. Drinks/Dessert: For dessert, I have gotten both their #1 Green Tea Taiwanese Shave Ice and #2 Coffee Taiwanese Shave Ice. It's perfect to share as a summer afternoon treat with a friend while you catch up or talk story for an hour or two as the portions are pretty big and personally too much for just 1 person. Every time I come here, I come more for their drinks, I definitely recommend their classic/regular milk tea and green tea shake depending on which mood I'm in. Having been in Taiwan myself where boba/tapioca balls originated from, I would say the boba here is pretty authentic to the ones I can get in Taiwan. The last time we came, they just added a new drink to their menu, I believe it was a tiger brown sugar drink so my friend decided to try it. Heads up, it's on the sweeter side so make sure you're ready for that if you decide to order it. In the end we concluded that we personally enjoyed the HanaTea brown sugar drink more if we were in the mood for brown sugar. Price: The price here is pretty reasonable for milk tea with boba, they cost on average around $5 all depending on the size, type, and additions you get with your drink. The only reason why I knocked off a star from my review is because this place is CASH ONLY, which makes it hard for me sometimes since I don't always have cash on me. You can use your credit card if you spend at least $10 but I never quite use that amount for just 1 drink. Parking: I never struggle to find parking here since it's located in McCully Shopping Center but I do get really nervous about someone hitting my car while I am parked because the stalls are really tight. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Left: Regular Milk Tea with boba Right: Brown Sugar Milk Tea with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The guy there has very bad service, drinks tasted watery and that place is filled with roaches. Never going back there

I've come here a handful of times after my appointment at the waxing company. The location. Is easy to find. It's on the corner of Mcully and Kapiolani. At the Mcully shopping center. There is a private in the front and around the corner. I'm sure if you're not able to find parking there, there is a lot of street parking available if you're willing to make the walk. I went there again with a yelpie of mine. Service upon ordering was exceptional. I love people who help me order, make suggestions, and explain their menu to me. I notice a lot of cashiers here just stare and wait for you to order which makes it a little awkward. I ordered a iced jasmine honey green tea and a chocolate cupcake. I checked in and was able to receive a 10% discount on one of my items so that was nice. Overall, everything that I ordered was okay. Not sure, if I'll try that iced drink again and or get that cup cake again. But I'll try something else and give this place another shot. read more

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I only come here for the custom $6 shave ice it is MY FAVE GO TO DESSERT!! I get red bean, lychee jelly, coffee jelly, fresh taro and coffee ice cream and it is sooooooo goood. It's huge you can easily share for two people! My kiddos love the rainbow shave ice with chocolate and vanilla ice cream! For $6 it's literally the best shave ice in town. Please don't ever change your menu and pricing !! Cash only here fyi! read more

Coffee or Tea? - Custom Shave Ice! Coffee ice cream, coffee jelly, lychee jelly, fresh taro, red bean - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This is a pretty cute cafe spot. The layout of it is kind of weird tho. You get in and the register is left, by the door, but you have to walk in all the way to get in the line and see the menu. Then walk back towards the door to to order. Then walk deeper in the store to get your drink.. then walk back towards the door through the crowded line to get out. It was frustrating trying to leave. The menu is huge! There's too many choices. I was overwhelmed and ended up ordering a milk tea with boba and pudding and matcha green tea. I had to spend a minimum of $10 since I had card. The milk tea was decent and the green tea was ehhh. They pre-made their drinks. I saw big jugs in their fridge and all they do is pour it together. It isn't really that fresh. I really liked their pudding. It had a sweet after taste, I wish they put more in my drink! I would come here if I just was in the area and wanted some boba, but I would most definitely just find a place that would make it fresh. It's a decent spot. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Super jumbo milk tea boba and pudding & matcha green tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

When we stopped by, they were closed due to remodeling. Would have been nice if they posted here or on Google beforehand.

Lots of coffee and tea options. I had the lychee ice green tea $4.00 and it was good. The desserts (mostly cheesecakes) look good although I didn't have any. Make sure you order at the register which is left to the door. I mistakenly followed everyone in line, but they were just awaiting their drinks. Nothing fancy or cutesy like other places. A no nonsense establishment to get ur beverage of choice read more

My favorite drink of all time, blended Thai iced tea.. this place has the best Thai tea.. the closest Thai tea to an authentic Cha Yen from Thailand. I've traveled throughout Thailand 3 years ago and refused to drink Thai tea in the states because it's overly sweet but this place has the perfect balance of tea flavor and sweetness. I ordered my drink 1/2 sweet with extra ice. I went here 3x's while I was in Hawaii. The owner is so sweet, during our last night in Honolulu I stopped by to get my last drink and she came out with some snacks for me! read more

Coffee or Tea? - Had to get some tea before heading to the beach! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Due to the covid-19 situation, they temporarily closed down and then reopened yesterday. I got their $6 shave ice with up to 5 topping choices (boba, green tea ice cream, azuki bean, tea jello, and pudding). The green tea ice cream was not very cold and melted really fast. They give a lot of toppings and I wish there was a bit more shave ice. But their tea jello and pudding were still as yummy as ever. They still only take cash. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Shave ice with pudding, boba, azuki bean, tea jello, and green tea ice cream. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Long awaited review. I love this place, so much so that the owner knows my usual: Honeydew. Its milky. Its honeydewy. Not too sweet. I like it because unlike other milk teas, you don't taste that artificial-like syrup. And they give a lot if pearls :) or grass jelly if I switch it up(which I can't find at a lot of places.) Edit: I did notice they aren't super customer service oriented (i.e. signs around the stores stating things like no outside food, or not acknowledging you) but I think its a cultural thing (chinese--and I can say that, coming from a chinese family, I know how it is.) Granted, this should not be an excuse, but I think thats what it comes down to. I always take it to go, so I've never had an issue with this. The bf and I tried their hot toast, and It was really sad: a semi-thick slice of white bread toasted, spread with a flavor of your choice (i.e. peanut butter, chocolate, etc) We got the pb and it was not traditional pb at all, it was like raw peanuts, semi-smashed--I don't even know how to explain it. Not sweet. Way too savory. About $3.00. Not worth it. read more

I've been here for 5 + years and they never disappoint me at all!!! Their service is fast and quick, be prepared to get your drink right after you make your order:) they have a good variety of drinks and foods/sweets. Coffee or tea is one of those classic and stick with what they start with kinda business. They kept their words from day one. Coffee or Tea is not your typical milk tea place, they aren't like the other milk tea place in Hawaii. They are unique and delicious. Food/ Drink -10/10 the price are reasonable and affordable. I got the waffle cookies which is new. I never seen them have it before. The cookies are really good there are some mixed flavor in the bag. There are a good hand full of them in the bag and they aren't too heavy. This can be your afternoon sneak. I don't know how long they will have it till so get it while you can!! Customer service-10/10 They are really kind and really friendly. The boss who work there treat other workers like it's a family!!! They are in a fast paced consistently because there's a lot of people keep coming in, one after an other which is wonderful that means they are doing something right for their business. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Jasmine green tea/ waffle cookie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Don't count coins in front of the cashier, they give you this irritated look because you're holding up the line. The workers are Chinese and they want things done fast. Just hand them bills, forget the coins! Chop chop! Don't bring outside food, you will get yelled at. Yes, I did see the staff yell at someone. They close at 11:30pm on the weekends which means, you have to get out of the store by 11:25pm. If you are sitting there chatting with friends they will ask you to leave. By 11:28pm, the lights are out. read more

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Good cafe but!! customer service it bad! We walk in to this cafe for the first time. We take a bite of time to order and the guy take order talk not good and still keep talk back about us in Chinese language.1/27/21 3:30pm read more

One of my favorite milk tea/shave ice spot! Have cash on you when you come here because they only accept cash, in all locations. I don't really care for their milk teas but their green tea shake w/boba is amazing, just a little pricey (close to $6?) and their boba is the best!! They have the softest, squishest bobas compared to other places like taste tea, tea boss, teapresso, etc. My personal favorite item from them is their shave ice! You can also customize it. I usually do that because I'm picky. Its only $6.28 (w/tax) basically the price of a boba drink. Its good for two people! Also the employees bring your order to your table when its ready! read more

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

Coffee or Tea? has been my go to milk tea place for almost 20 years. I have changed my favorite drink over the years and now it really depends on my mood. Glad that they take credit cards (minimum $10 purchase) now. Wish the parking was better (but that's the location) but luckily I can walk here during my lunch breaks so I don't have to worry about that. read more

I love their milk tea. Seriously one of my favorite places to go to! I usually get their regular milk tea with boba and pudding. Depends how I'm feeling, I usually get the super jumbo so it can last me awhile. Their boba still taste good the next day not like most places that usually get super hard after couple hours in the fridge It's also just the perfect amount of sweetness. I've never really tried anything else here before besides the regular milk tea but they have a lot of other options if you're not a milk tea drinker. read more

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

I rly love the boba here~ It opens at 9, and i went at 9:10 of-course, no line. (I went to a diff location near the heavenly) But they already had boba ready~ The price was 5.50 for grande, and i forgot the price for jumbo. I think the grande is like a medium in other places like kung fu tea. If u compare to kung fu tea, its a bit cheeper. The boba was bigger than other boba places, and it was soft and squishy. The American man there was really kind and he smiled at me when he gave me the boba lol. I hope i can visit here again! read more

Coffee or Tea? - Tiger sugar milk boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place is the best. Go here best almond milk tea with boba and custard. Cannot go wrong....love super jumbo size.

Poor customer service. They said they would take our order and then changed their minds because they were too busy with another large order. The wait was too long when we just wanted to order 2 drinks. I wouldn't appreciated it if they just approached us and said that they're too busy with the large order instead of ignoring us. read more

I gonna give the Seaside Avenue location a 3 due to disappointment, the girl who made my jumbo Ube Lover smoothie I hope you are reading this, you place a flat lid cover on my cup instead of a dome cup, not like the photo in the window, McCully location never did that to me, plus you don't even tell your customers thank you for coming? I mean if you're having a bad day please don't treat your customers poorly. Mahalo! read more

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

Coffee or Tea!! My favorite place for a Honeydew Melon Milk Tea and boba. As much as I come here, I'm really surprised with the amount of reviews that wrote about bad service. Thankfully I haven't had bad customer service despite the many times I go because I really enjoy this place. I usually see the same girls working at the Kapiolani location and they're usually nice to me. The down side is that sometimes when they make my milk tea, it's kind of powdery/chalky on the bottom because the drink wasn't shaken enough for all the powder to dissolve. It's usually fine after you try to mix it with your straw, but just a little area that needs improvement. I do see some workers shake the drink then stir it with a spoon after so that'd be nice if the stir just became part of the process. Their boba is one of my faves though because it's just right amount of chewy, sweet, and soft! Quick tip that they only accept cash so come prepared or be disappointed :) I also really don't like the parking situation at McCully Shopping Center because it's always full or the stalls are super small. They do also have a parking lot downstairs but the stalls on the left side are also ridiculously small so pray that any stall on the right side is open. Maybe come with a buddy so you can hop out of the car and run down if you can't find parking. :) read more

Coffee or Tea? - Honeydew Melon Milk Tea!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My all time favorite place to get boba when I'm home ! However, I think their quality had gone down :( I've been a fan of coffee or tea for over 8 years. I love their tea jelly,m with either their black milk tea, or Jasmine milk tea and they have some of the best tapioca balls when I do decided to go with boba. I also love their shave ice desserts. My friends and I used to come here during our lunch breaks, and I would buy their gallon sized drinks for my parties. When I go home, I make sure to get coffee or tea at least once (if not daily). They have opened so many more locations in the past five years making it easier for me to get some of my favorite drinks. This winter, I was a bit disappointed when I stopped by. The tea seemed very watered down and not as flavorful as it used to be in the past. Im not sure if it was just the day I went, but a few of my friends agreed that the quality didn't seem as good as it used to be. I'll definitely stop by again when I'm home again but I hope that the tea remains to have a strong flavor ! read more

THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE ON OAHU where you can order 1 gallon of milk tea. . Good price, good service read more

Last time I went I gave 3 stars because the raspberry cheesecakes (tasted bland and had a rubbery texture, not fresh) and banana chocolate shake (tasted like banana and a coffee after taste) and were not good in my opinion. Though, this time I went and got the Thai Tea with Boba and it was much better quality. The Thai Tea drink in itself was super refreshing and not super sweet. The boba was soft and very yummy. As for quality of boba drinks I would say it is average, not Teapresso or CowCows level, but still good and worth it. I recommend this place for their boba drinks if you're in the area. Though be careful when ordering other things off the menu that's not boba because it's been hit or miss with me in quality. The staff is nice, fast with orders, and the cafe is very clean. read more

Coffee or Tea? - Thai Tea with Boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Love coming here after a hot day at the beach or just when my son & I want to have a quiet chill day to read & drink some delicious smoothies, shakes, milk teas etc. I always get the mango smoothie with boba & it is so delicious! It's not too sweet, not too bland, but just right! The indoor is so comfortable & relaxing as well! read more

Coffee or Tea? - Mango & Strawberry smoothies w/boba. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Decent milk tea, but AWFUL customer service. They wouldn't give my friend a refund after she took one sip of a drink and didn't like it, then they didn't allow her to return/trade the drink for other drinks she wanted (they put ambiguous parameters around what she was allowed to trade her drink for-- e.g. it could only be another milk tea and/or if she wanted "special" milk teas she'd have to pay $.50 extra etc.) Every time she tried to order a new drink they said that it was going to be an extra charge because that drink was "special". Then when she asked to speak to the manager, they told her she can't because they didn't have a manager. Wait... whaaat????? Could this place be the ONLY business in the world where these minimum wage workers are independent contractors-- are y'all your own bosses or just liars? Not too sure who ran the show, but they were of no help to her. It's disappointing to see a decent establishment be dragged down because of a lack of attention to good customer service. And this is a sharp contrast to establishments that emphasize customer service and insist that the client is always right-- e.g Starbucks who will make you new drinks if the first doesn't suffice etc. read more

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I've been going to Coffee or tea for a long time. I admit that their drinks taste good and I especially like their Taro momi tea. However, I was so appalled by my experience there last week that I decided that I'm never going back there again. Last week, I purchased a jumbo taro momi tea ($5), which I intended on sharing w/ my boyfriend. Another friend came with us, but she didn't want to drink anything. My friend and boyfriend was sitting down and when the drink came out, I sat down with them. As soon as I sat down, the cashier followed me and said "I'm sorry, but we have a minimum drink requirement, which means each person needs to have a drink when they sit down." I was so appalled because the place was half empty. Anyhow, my experience there was terrible and my night was ruined. read more

I went to the one in Honolulu. Milk smoothie tastes like regular boba places. Not bad nor not the best. But the customer service wise, i had such a hard time getting the simple answer in comparison to smoothie shake or just regular tea differences. I am glad this girl stepped in and helped me out. read more

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

Ive been here 3 times. Had minor issues the first two times, but no biggie. Today, merchant was just straight up rude. Scrolling through yelp, I see I'm not the only one who has had issues with service. I was overcharged for something advertised in their "weekday special". They only extend the special if you ask for it. When I brought the overcharge to merchants attention, he said "well now you know for next time". Yeah, it was only $1.50 difference, but it leaves a bad taste in your mouth that not even their mango milk tea can fix. Bad service. Mediocre drinks. 3 strikes and youre out. Plenty of other options. read more

Came here with the siblings from the bay area. I mention the bay bc we have tons of Asains here and we know quality milk tea. Lol We came twice in one night. The first time we came in the place was pretty empty, which means no line! Service was quick. Our order: 1. Jasmine milk tea with pearls- yummy 2. Wintermelon milk tea with pearls- too sweet 3. Honeydew milk tea-tasted powdery? Artificial? 4. Peanut butter toast- nothing special but good 5. Papaya milk- DELISH! Creamy, light, refreshing, and the reason why we came back two hours later lol The second time we came, the place was crowded. I guess it's a popular place in town and probably the reason why my cousin who lives locally recommended it. Overall, this place has decent milk tea, nothing super special about the menu. But the papaya milk, as weird as it sounds was amazing. read more

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