Cool Tea Bar 103 Waverly Pl SF.. is one of my kids' favorite boba spots in San Francisco Chinatown! Their go-to drink is the Jasmine Milk Tea with boba, and it never disappoints. Ordering is easy with either the self-service kiosk or a cashier, and they accept both credit cards and cash. Service is quick and efficient, making it the perfect place to grab a drink on the go. Keep in mind that there is no seating area, so it's strictly a grab-and-go spot. If you're craving a refreshing boba tea without a long wait, this is a great choice. Our family definitely recommends Cool Tea Bar for a quick and delicious boba stop! read more

See all

It took :12 to get my fresh pandan mochi waffle for $7.... Very light and airy, not much batter. Crisp and light and very satisfying for the texture..... I just learned how to order this Hulk/Grinch-hued wonder by patient Chinese teacher, haha!! Shared it with 2 little kids who came in waiting for their milk tea! read more

I love a good Pandan Waffle! So soft on the inside (mochi) and crisp on the outside. It's such a nice treat that isn't too sweet. They were one of the street food vendors at SF Chinatown Nightmarket. They have a storefront in Chinatown too. I love how it brings the community together with live music, different vendors and bringing business to the area. The young man who rang us up was so nice! read more

Cool Tea Bar - Pandan Waffle - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is one of the more low key boba places in Chinatown, but honestly it's one of my favorites. I've only had one drink, the honey green tea. Their honey just hits different - flavors of mango and floral. On my second visit, I was the only customer and the server whipped up my drink in a couple of mins. He was very friendly and fast! Overall, I'm happy with my drink of choice. I'd likely try other combinations in the future. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Instagram worthy sign - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

This is my hands down childhood boba place. It's located on an alley. Everything was good. Got their Jasmine milk tea with grass jelly and also their mango green tea with cool ball (clear boba) use to go here everyday afterschool. you can order through the machine or either in counter. They have chairs now. their to good to go is worth because it's a good deal for only $6.51 and have 3 drinks. Also tried their kumquat it's very refreshing . Their milktea taste like hojicha . read more

Cool Tea Bar - Roasted milktea , kumquat, and pearl milktea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

This review is for their booth and food at the night market but we loved their mochi pandan waffles!! We got a waffle and a drink for $10! Their passion fruit tea was amazing as expected. And their standard pearl milk tea was decent. Because of this waffle tho, I'm making it my mission to come out and go to their actual store. Like so good. With a solid drink menu. It's a win win. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Night market menu, Oct 2025 - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Just when I think the milk tea spots in this area can't get better, I find another amazing place to stop. We were at the Chinese New Year Street Faire today so Grant was packed with people. Waverly is just half a block away but was miles apart in terms of congestion. We ordered two huge milk teas from Cool Tea Bar for only $6.50 each. The value was incredible but the taste was even better.We got a jasmine and roasted milk tea and they were both delicious. Perfect flavor! It was ready quickly and exactly as ordered. I highly recommend grabbing a drink here if you have a chance. read more

See all

Came in a little bit before closing and ordered three milk teas and the lady working was very nice and helpful with the orders. Lives in the area for sometime and surprised I never stopped by. I grabbed three regular boba milk teas and they weren't too sweet. The pearls are chewy and sweet and they also give big cups. The inside isn't a place where I'd hang out but more of a grab and go kinda vibe. read more

See all

Ordered this at the kiosk: Passion Fruit Iced 101 - Their sizes are bigger than normal boba store. I think their large was around 30oz, which was nice. There are no passion fruit seeds sadly. Just your standard drink and paid $7.33. The kiosk on their menu only has images of the their top 6 drinks which is frustrating when deciding what to order. Service was fast since I was the only customer. There's a couple chairs on the interior and a nice backdrop for photos but otherwise a really small shop. Unfortunately, there were flies within the shop. read more

See all

The wife and I found ourselves in Chinatown for the day running a few errands and stopping for lunch. So naturally before we left, I had to satisfy my boba craving. I noticed Cool Tea Bar nearby so I decided to stop in despite the average reviews. There was only 1 worker behind the counter making drinks when I arrived, and one person that had entered ahead of me. Despite being the only person making all the drinks and there being a self-service kiosk along the wall, he kept insisting on calling everyone over to personally take their order instead. This meant that while he was busy taking everyone's orders, NOONE was making the drinks. This fact was further hammered in by several frustrated looking patrons who were already waiting inside for their orders when I entered. Ordered a large, Passion Fruit Green Tea w/ boba, which wound up taking nearly 30mins to finally get due to the aforementioned issue. Although their large size is HUMONGOUS, it was EXTREMELY disappointing as the drink was heavily watered down and barely had any taste. It felt like I was drinking water with a hint of passion fruit in it. Overall a disappointing experience and one I will not be repeating again. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Been here a few times after eating lunch at a nearby restaurant. Never really interacted with anyone here except when they handed me my drink because they have a self service touch screen where you can just order drinks and they make it right away. Efficient and quiet shop, at least the few times I visited. They have a cute instagram friendly photo wall "Made in San Francisco" where you can take cutesy photos. The fruit tea drinks are pretty good and refreshing. Located on the infamous Waverly Place in the heart of SF Chinatown. Waverly is also namesake of a lead character (named after this little street) in Amy Tan's book, The Joy Luck Club. This street is also featured in the movie, Pursuit of Happiness. Located on Waverly Place and Clay St. read more

See all

We were looking for boba after eating brunch in Chinatown and stopped by Cool Tea Bar. I got their #1 most popular drink which is the Grass Jelly Roasted Milk Tea. The milk tea itself is pretty good but a bit diluted for my taste. I prefer my milk tea stronger. At 30% sweet, I did like the level of sweetness and the grass jelly was nice and light. Ordering is quick via kiosk. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is my favorite and my go to boba place in Chinatown. Their milk tea never fails and never change to bad but has been stay consistency over many years. It's a classic and original with their own house tea and own house made grass jelly! Their prices are not as high as the other fancy milk tea that cost $8-9, this boba place sell good original quality milk tea and fruit tea. They used to open later closes at 11:00pm, and now their hours has shorted to 7:00pm; but hoping they will open back up for later time so I can come by for some dessert drinks. read more

Cool Tea Bar - 3. Jasmine Milk Tea with Grass Jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Best Pandan Mochi waffle ever! Nice staff, cute shop! Not a lot of seating though. Must try!

I got here at 11:07am and the shop was not opened yet. One worker was there that was still setting up and when I tried to knock the door to get his attention, he just shook his head at me. Maybe they should change the opening hours at a different time if they need to set up. It is 11:15am and they are still not open yet despite the sign showing that they are opened. Update: the owner reached out to amend what happened today. I appreciate that the owner tried to make up what happened so I bumped it to 2 stars. read more

Cool Tea Bar - The store front - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Thai ice tea with boba. Nice!!! walk in the store and found the next board that says made in San Francisco. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Chinese New Year parade. Enjoying drinks! - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

The Jasmine milk tea here is great! I got less sweet, 30%, and it was perfect. I've passed by this place so many times and never went in, but I think this will be my go-to boba spot from now on since it's close by. The only issue is finding parking can be rough nearby, so if you can, I recommend walking. read more

Was on a SF food tour this weekend and we stopped by this place in Chinatown for a refresher. I was recommended this place by a friend who's local. You can place your order through a tablet and there was only one worker fulfilling the orders when I visited. Place is relatively small but had a few seats to sit while waiting. My local friend and I were both disappointed with the grass jelly roasted milk tea as it tasted watered down. The boba itself was kind of hard. The grass jelly and price for the large were some good things that went well though. My other friend ordered the matcha milk tea and you could definitely tell it had a lot of powder in it and wasn't mixed well. She only drank half of the drink before throwing it away. Maybe it was a bad day but my friends and I were not impressed and went elsewhere to settle our cravings. read more

Cool Tea Bar - 1. Grass Jelly Roasted Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Drinks weren't overly sweets; which was perfect for me. But you can still customize the sugar and ice level. You're actually getting a good deal for ordering in the size large. My go to place for boba when I'm in SF! I've tried other boba shops and either the taste were off or overpriced for the size. I usually go for the lychee green/black tea; basic choice but I like the way my drink is made here the most. Only downside is that they closed pretty early and might not be the most convenient to travel to but I truly do enjoy coming here. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I used to come here all the time before Covid. I loved their roasted grass jelly milk tea & their lemon aloe. However, this time around the roasted milk tea I had was watered down and just tasted like water. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

On a hot summer day in July this is the remedy for a cool refreshing experience. The inside is small and on Waverly Place in Chinatown. The big serving at Cool Tea Bar makes it worth a try. read more

See all

Teas here are extremely sweet, especially the fruit teas. Definitely make note if yoh arent a fan - I usually get my teas at 30% sweetness. The milk teas are better, so I get them at 50% sweet. Cool balls are crystal boba and pretty darn good...better than most crystal boba and agar jelly I've had! If you like grass jelly, it is the best topping here imo! Service here is fast as well - what you'd expect from a boba shop in Chinatown! They also offer catering orders that are super competitively priced! Def recommend reaching out if you're looking to get catering or put in a large order! read more

This place brings back so many memories. It was the OG boba place of china town before the more trendy ones popped up around the city. I always get the kumquat green tea but today we got the passion fruit 101 - it comes with boba and lychee jelly. Super refreshing and the hint of sweetness that comes with 0% sweet is perfect for us. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Passion Fruit 101 (Includes Lychee Jelly Boba) - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Absolutely great service Accidentally dropped my drinks and without me asking they automatically redo another one for me that's called great customer service Drink was very refreshing with a hint of lime and you decide the sugar level read more

Cool Tea Bar - Kumquat Green Tea with grass jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Absolutely delicious! I enjoyed every single drop! I stopped by this cool little spot because I'm a big milk tea and a big boba fan! This spot is located in Chinatown! There were no seats to sit inside and is more of a take out sorta vibe. I like that they have options for you to choose on sweetness levels and also on various bobas. It's definitely worth a stop! read more

See all

This is a true gem in Chinatown! An old, well-loved milk tea shop with authentic flavors and that classic taste you can't find anywhere else. The tea is rich, the boba is perfectly chewy, and every cup tastes like tradition. Friendly service and a cozy vibe make it my go-to spot whenever I'm in the area. Highly recommend! read more

Walking by Chinatown and suggestions from some friends, made a stop to Cool Tea Bar. I ordered the kumquat green tea with boba. The tea was very refreshing and not too sweet at 50% sweetness. It's the first time I've seen kumquat on a drink menu. The boba was chewy and good. The drink was made to order very quickly. Definitely would come back to try their other fruit teas. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Kumquat Green Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I ordered a lemon, honey with aloe tea from Cool Tea and it was one of the absolute worst honey and lemon drinks I've ever had. I am almost certain they did not use real lemons as all I could taste was citric acid. (Like the powder stuff from True Lemon) There was also no honey taste to the drink at all. My hubby got their classic milk bubble tea. It was okay, nothing special but the boba was just the right texture. Two stars because we ordered a large and it was the biggest "large" bubble tea I've ever encountered. Quantity wise it's worth what you pay for. I would recommend staying away from their citrus based tea though. read more

I have a lot of memories of this place growing up. When I was a kid, it was always a decision between coming here for better milk tea quality, or Quickly's at the time. Every Saturday after Chinese school, I kinda always came here and it's incredible how ginormous the drink is when you order a large. Nowadays with other boba shops, it's hard to compare this place to the others, but this is place is always a nice go-to spot if you're nearby. To me, it's nostalgic. It's a small shop, and there's usually only 1-2 people working so it can be a little slow. But that aside, if you really want to appreciate the drink, I do recommend getting it around 50-75% sweet. The Kumquat Green Tea is really refreshing but I got that at 30% sweet thinking it was going to be too sweet, but I should of gotten it a tad bit sweeter. The milk teas were alright. I feel like the tea flavors could be a bit stronger. What makes this place stand out is the humongous size of the drink itself. You can order a large and you will probably get full off of the drink alone. They have the biggest drink sizes that I know of in the Bay area, and I think that itself is a unique quality that this store brings to the table. This place is definitely worth a try if you're in the area. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Kumquat Green Tea w/ Aloe Jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

It says that they are permanently closed on Apple Maps, but they are definitely still open. Used to love that they are open so late, but now they are open til 7pm. It's located in the alleyway and might be a little difficult to find. The place itself is pretty small, there are no tables or chairs inside due to Covid. There is usually only one worker here, so if there are a lot of people, you may have to wait for a while. I usually get their Jasmine Milk Tea with Grass Jelly with 50% sugar. Would recommend getting less sugar since their drinks are pretty sweet. The grass jelly is so good, great flavor and texture. Their fruit teas are also very refreshing. read more

See all

Decent joint for the offerings. I ordered the taro milk tea, chicken rice plate and the popcorn chicken. The taro milk tea is perfect if you don't want any caffeine later in the day. The boba was fine. They give you a lot of chicken in the plate so it's worth the price. The popcorn chicken was too salty for me, but it's my cousin's favorite so I guess it depends on your taste. Not a bad spot if you're craving boba and a quick bite. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Taro Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cool Tea Bar Ratings: 3.9/5 Food: 3.75/4 - Always craving for boba, and we found this place in Chinatown. I got the Kumquat Green Tea w/ cool balls. The drink itself was refreshing and quite fresh, but I did not taste as much kumquat or green tea flavors. The cool balls was amazing, tasted like a harder lychee jelly in a good way, very crunchy and a crispy texture. My boyfriend's Lychee Green Tea drink was also pretty good. He said the boba was chewy and al dente, so overall he was satisfied. I got 30% sugar, and it was still slightly sweet for me, so make sure to get 30% sugar if you don't like your drinks too sweet. Ambiance: 3.5/5 - Very small boba shop located in the heart of Chinatown, and looks like a mom-and-pop owned place. Pretty easy to miss walking by. When we walked in, there are no indoor seating, just a couple stands. You can see the open kitchen, and interior is pretty clean and spacious. Typical boba shops in Chinatown, but definitely lack some decorations and renovations. Might be one of those older buildings. Price: 4.25/5 - I got the regular size Kumquat Green Tea with cool balls (a.k.a. crystal boba) for $4.25 and additional charge for toppings. My boyfriend got the Lychee Green Tea with pearl balls (no picture, sorry). The total was around $11. Pretty good price, and their sizes were huge. Service: 4.25/5 - There was only one staff working when we walked in, but he was really approachable and efficient. He greeted us and took our orders pretty quick. Originally I got the grass jelly, but he was nice to let me try the cool balls, and was willing to switch it for me. Friendly service, so overall pretty good service. BLUF: Pretty solid boba shop with good and refreshing tea drinks. Recommend the boba and the cool balls as toppings. Cute place with friendly staffs, cheap prices, and good boba drinks. Definitely give this place a try if you are in the area. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Kumquat Green Tea w/ Cool Balls - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

1 check-in here This is one of my favorite boba spots in chinatown because the price is for for what you get! My favorite is the roasted oolong milk tea with grass jelly! read more

Ordered my usual drink - kumquat green tea w/ cool ball. Tasted totally different than it used to be as the worker didn't bother using the shaker to make the drink and eyeball on adding the kumquat syrup so I couldn't taste the kumquat at all. I was the only customer so I couldn't think of a reason why this drink wasn't made properly. Won't be returning anytime soon unless workers are re-trained to make drinks properly. Overall disappointing. read more

The drinks took a long time to be prepared, the drinks were not the best, too bitter for extra sugar. Overall wouldn't go unless the quality is improved . read more

Cool Tea Bar - 3. Jasmine Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Boba was fine. Price was OK. Service was SLOW. Boba for 4 people took 15 min on a quiet day, there were no other people there.

For a person that enjoys fruity drinks, the kumquat lemon green tea with lychee jelly has been my go-to refresher drink of all time. I also enjoy their milk teas like the roasted milk tea. Their service can be slow because there's only one worker but the waiting area is decently sized and clean. read more

The most recent reviews have been about "David" the cashier that I am happy that I did not meet during this time. I was craving boba while walking around Chinatown and happened to find this shop in the middle of a pretty wide open street. It's a nice looking small shop which has a max capacity of 4 people during COVID. However, this is not really enforced as people just rush in and try to order even if its above the capacity. Overall I do like the organization of the shop as they have a Top Ordered in the drinks that helped me make my decision. Ended up the getting the Roasted Milk Tea. The drink was solid in my opinion but the boba was a bit hard. Other than that, I enjoyed it and would definitely come back in the future if I'm in the area. read more

I had the matcha milka with cool balls with 50% sweetness too it. The matcha flavor was really present but it tasted a bit artificial towards the end. They didn't have oolong when I went but still not bad nonetheless. I went around 4:45 and there wasn't a line so it was pretty good. Definetly try cool tea bar as it's one of the og places in chinatown. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Matcha Milk Tea with Cool Balls - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Unfortunate they have poor staffing here. I feel sorry for the guy working by himself. Sadly the service is slow, again due to staffing. Waited about 40 minutes for our drink and even got skipped twice. How does being number 72, then handing order 74 and 75 first? Sadly disappointing and there's plenty of shops here that are more sufficient to meet service quality. I don't think I recommend anyone to come by or return here. I won't be for sure. read more

Cool Tea Bar - Placing Order Desk - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California