Absolutely worth your time. The matcha drinks here are so good. I got the mango matcha with oat milk. It was so creamy.

Every one at school keeps hyping this up so I had to check it out. It's tucked inside Hana sushi and seems like people come here for the boba more than the sushi, I wonder if the same people own both. Been hoping Taylor Street was going to finally get some decent boba and I was not disappointed at all. Tea wise, it was very comparable to the ones in chinatown. I recommend 50% sugar or even 25% if you not a fan of sweet. The boba themselves are sweet which is a nice touch. I think this place has really good boba, not only is it sweet like I mentioned above, but the texture is phenomenal. It tasted fresh, not mushy, and was very q. Definitely will be coming back. Also yes is brewed to order which ensures optimal freshness! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Menu - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Might be the best matcha in chicago i've ever had. My boyfriend and I used to get Gathers probably 3-4 times a week. It was our guilty pleasure. I'm keeping this at 5 stars because the quality of the matcha is insane, they use the perfect ice ratio, perfect everything ratio and they aren't at fault. Don't really know what's going on but we haven't been able to get Gathers lately. Every time we go, the line is down the block. Mobile orders are down, which makes total sense. I'm all for small businesses booming, but I miss being able to just walk in and pick up my order. :( Hoping for more locations to open because it's not everyday you find a spot that cares about their quality of Matcha, or just anything for that matter read more

EEE this is definitely one of my favorite bubble tea places in Chicago! Owner and staff are all very friendly and helpful. Every time I go here I switch off from my favorite 2 which include the Brown Sugar Assam Black Milk Tea and the Longan Honey Jasmine Green Milk Tea. Their teas are brewed daily and is very flavorful in their milk tea drinks (which is what I prefer when drinking milk teas). I also recently tried their Brown Sugar Matcha Latte. 10/10. Some shops make their matcha drinks very diluted, but Gathers makes it strong and flavorful. I also love how this shop uses golden boba in their drinks. I don't know if it's just me but I enjoy eating golden boba versus the regular black boba. Their boba is cooked to perfection and sweetened with brown sugar (my fave!). Goes best with all their drinks! Come check this place out if you're near the area and craving bubble tea! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Longan Honey Jasmine Green Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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i love this place, every single drink i have had has been absolutely amazing it tastes great, and high quality and they always look amazing. the workers do help you if you need and and often times gift little tips for your drink to better your experience. the interior is very nice and i like how they change the decorations depending on the season. the only downside is the prices. getting a matcha and adding a tip can usually cost between $8-$11 which is a little too much for every day. this is definitely more of a dessert drink. read more

I got the Hojicha milk tea. I really liked it. I've never had this kind of tea before but the tea flavor and creaminess are well balanced and not diluted. My friends liked their roasted oolong and rose milk teas. The rose milk tea was surprising because these normally taste very artificial at many other boba shops. But their rose milk tea had a light, natural, pleasant rose flavor in the tea brew. They give a very appropriate amount of ice, not too much, and do not recommend you change the default sugar level which I was happy with. Prices were mostly $4-5 so not bad. The owner is very nice and we had a fun conversation about boba in socal and our boba expectations/standards haha. He's very particular about his formula which I admire! read more

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Catered from Gathers for a work event and it was a hit! We worked directly with Peter to pick out flavors and they set us up with cups, tapioca, etc. We got the Assam and Jasmine Milk Teas and Mango and Passion Fruit Teas, my favorite was the Assam Black Milk Tea. Everyone raved about it! Will definitely stop by the storefront in the future! read more

While there are a good number of boba places in Chicago, it can be hard to find places that actually have good tea, so I'm really glad that we tried Gathers! We tried the black sesame matcha and the assam black milk tea. I really liked the flavor of the assam black milk tea - it was a bit more fragrant than a regular black tea, but with a nice depth and blended nicely with the non dairy creamer that they use for their milk teas. The black sesame matcha was also delicious, and I would definitely get it again. My brother thought the black sesame overwhelmed the matcha flavor a little bit, but I'm a big fan of black sesame so I really liked the flavor of the drink. If you're looking for a place to get your milk tea fix, I'd definitely recommend checking out Gathers! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Black sesame matcha - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really good bubble tea! I like to order 50% sweetness. They make their bubble tea from real tea, you can really taste the sweetness of tea in there. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have been wanting to try this place for a while now, and it did not disappoint! I had the green tea with sea salt cream on top and golden boba. I like it 50% sweet. The texture of the boba was great, and added a good amount of sweetness. Can't wait to go back again! read more

Have been here several times and this place is definitely one of my favs for certain things. I would recommend getting the teas outside of their classic tea menu. Classic teas are overall not bad but lack the strong tea flavor and not outstanding.. However, the matcha series and the premium teas are BOMB! Tea flavors are strong, amazing blend between ingredients, and you could tell you are getting a high quality milk tea, not just a typical bubble tea. My favorite has to be the matcha strawberry! I wish they offered honey boba. Their golden boba has great texture and sweet but no particular flavor. They are on the pricier side but I feel it's worth it for their matcha and premium teas when you want a real milk tea treat. Menu is small and curated. After you pay, they ask to wait outside and they bring it out. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Black Assam milk tea (3.5/5). It's alright. Go for their premium teas and matcha series so good! - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you want bubble tea, this is the place to go. They have a wide variety of menu items too including hot tea, smoothies, milkshakes, matcha, etc. I got the Banana Milk tea with 50% sugar and "golden boba" and it was AMAZING. I love anything banana flavored and my wife does not and even she loved this drink. The flavoring wasn't too much, wasn't too little; it was the perfect amount. There was an option for "golden boba" and I believe it's just regular tapioca, but something about its texture made it the best tapioca I've ever had. They also had a sign that said during winter months, they essentially do free refills if you sit in, however there's not a lot of seating area. It's just bar stools along a wall, which gets the job done I suppose. They have very cool and cute sweaters and hats that I will most definitely buy when I go back. But back to this drink; even though their menu is vast and I want to try new things, this Banana Milk Tea was so earth-shattering that I honestly don't know if I can be compelled to order anything else. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Banana milk tea with oat milk, 50% sugar, & golden boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My sister brought me here since she said they had amazing boba and she was right. This is truly some of the best bubble tea I've ever had. I ordered the Genmaicha and the tea flavor was superb - I LOVE roasted green tea and this is the first boba place that I've been to that executes their tea flavors this well. The only disappointing part is that they ran out of boba - they substituted something weird which I didn't like. So next time I would ask for no substitutions and just get more tea! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Gemnicha and Matcha - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hubby and I are long time Gathers Tea Bar matcha and hojicha fanatics. This is the only tea bar hubby and I go to get our matcha fix the moment we arrive in Chicago every summer. The matcha here can't be beat. It is of the highest quality, it's strong and lovely, and so is the hojicha. I'm always tempted to try other teas but I keep going back to my favorite - the zero sweet hojicha latte. I give it a 100/10. Hubby faithfully sticks with double shots of matcha, zero sweet, latte. He rates it as 100/10 too. The ambience in the new store is relaxed and calm and the bobaristas here are super attentive as always. Plus, quality and customer satisfaction has always been their #1 priority. That's another 100/10. Can't wait to return to this 5-STAR tea place in Chi-Town next summer. read more

Black Sesame Matcha Latte. Say no more. I love it. The drink lived up to my expectations and was amazing. This shop was off the beaten path for me and I probably passed by it twice trying to find it but definitely well worth it! Everyone who worked there was incredibly nice too! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Matcha black sesame - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I hope gathers knows that they single handedly got me through my first year of grad school. BEST MATCHA IN CHICAGO. My second favorite is the hojicha latte and Hong Kong milk tea :) read more

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One of my two favorite bubble tea shops in Chicago! I always order the Hojicha milk tea + boba with 50% sugar. The owner/staff are also super nice, and always offer to bring the bubble tea out to your car so you can wait comfortably. This shop can be somewhat confusing to find at first because it is inside/part of a separate restaurant (Hana). You use the same door to access both establishments, so don't be confused if it's your first time here! read more

The matcha brown sugar boba. That's all. 10/10 Chef's kisses. The place is also very clean and the staff is organized and quick.

Had the rose milk tea and the Thai milk tea. It was the best boba I've ever had! Amazing flavor and it was nice to see them making everything from scratch. 10/10 read more

It's one of the best boba shops around Chi Town. It seems like they will made each cup individually rather than making a big stock and serve. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best boba in town! Super cute aesthetic too! Wish there was more seating to hang out, but the fantastic, friendly, fast service combined with the delicious tea flavors and QQ boba make it my top rec for friends visiting town. read more

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This is the most legit tea quality for any boba shop I've ever been to. Yes, I've been to "fresh brew" shops but nothing of this quality. I have loved all the tea drinks I've tried, as well as the POG juice special. Strawberry matcha latte at 50% sweetness was fantastic. read more

Clean and modern boba shop near UIC. Excellent customer service. Wide menu selection with seasonal options too! They also offered tea leaves for sample smelling. Would've liked if there were more seating options, like tables. More of a grab and go shop than a sit and chat spot. read more

This place has legit the best boba in the city and it's up there nationally. I've had a lot of the most recommended boba via online hype and also locals in the Bay Area which is known for their boba, and gathers is still my favorite. Quality ingredients and everything is made with care. Many places just taste like flavored milk but gathers truly makes boba tea. My wife is also taiwanese and gathers is her favorite, so that is a glowing recommendation. We often drive a far distance in the summer just to satisfy our (aka my wife's) boba craving. read more

Best boba on Taylor hands down!! Seriously. Don't waste your money on the other places down the street. I tried the brown sugar milk tea with their original boba. I love the option of customizing the sweetness level. I did 50% sweetness and it was perfect. Boba are tiny and have a great texture. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Brown sugar milk tea w/ boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went again after the lockdown. This place is still amazing!!! 1. Hygiene - you can still order in. I love the fact that if your bubble tea is taking a while, they make you stand outside and deliver to you 2. Quality - most places have their quality dropped. This place is on point and keeping it on fire Order the matcha latte sesame. It is on fireeeee read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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cool place, great matcha, you order via kiosk so the line is pretty fast. very chill ambiance

They have the best rose matcha milk tea!! The best part about this place is that you can choose the sugar levels- which is great when you want a really sugary drink or less sugar. Also, their boba is made fresh in house and is always the right consistency. They have great flavors and non dairy options. Make sure to order in advance because it does take a few minutes for the order to be ready. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Rose matcha milk tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've finally come to terms with the fact that my guilty pleasure in life is a good drink. I have no shame paying $7+ for a latte when I know I'm really going to enjoy it. I stopped by Gathers after a long day and needed a pick-me-up. I remembered reading about their popular drinks and ended up getting the brown sugar matcha latte with tapioca (with oat milk). They recommend doing 50% sweetness or more with this drink, and I think 50% was the perfect amount. This drink was heavenly, to be honest. Not too sweet or overpowering in any way. Also, the best tapioca I've had. Tapioca has a tendency to be sort of hard and bitter. But this tapioca was soft and lightly sweet. I definitely want to come back and try everything else they have! Highly recommend. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hands down one of the best boba places local to Chicago. The tea flavor comes through but not overwhelmingly. You could tell it is fresh because the workers use tea leaves and brew them after the order is placed. It is a bit on the sweeter side relative to other Chicago boba shops so I might try 25% sweetness next time. Highly recommend! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Earl Grey Milk Tea, 50% sugar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came to Gathers due to a recommendation from a friend who comes here frequently (probably at least twice a week) and is really picky about his boba places. Gathers is located inside a Chinese restaurant and there really isn't a place to sit so you'd have to take it to go. I've tried several of the drinks on the menu but I still prefer my go to drink, jasmine green milk tea. I really like the tea flavor of this drink and it tastes great both hot or cold. I did want to try the rose matcha latte but the lowest amount of sugar possible for any of the matcha lattes (except for the original matcha latte) is 50% and I like to enjoy my teas without sugar. I did try hubby's strawberry matcha latte and black sesame matcha latte. The strawberry matcha latte was interesting but not my cup of tea (the strawberry jam? drowns out the matcha flavor) but the black sesame matcha latte wasn't bad. The roasted oolong milk tea is also good. I've also tried the rose tieguanyin milk tea but the flavor is really subtle. Overall, Gather's is a great addition to Chicago. The owner is really nice which is a plus. :D read more

This place is also around the UIC area so you can find random free parking a block or so away! Other than that, there's pay to park. I went on a Sunday afternoon, it wasn't as crowded as it could be on a Friday or Saturday. Right now there's no indoor seating due to COVID, but it's still definitely worth it to drop by for some milk tea! I got the jasmine green milk tea which was DELICIOUS. The staff was also super friendly and they were happy to explain the differences between the drinks on the menu. You can also choose the level of sweetness which is a nice personal touch and think more bubble tea places should have that option. They also had cute little decorations around the register, which was a nice touch! Next time I want to try the honey jasmine green tea to taste the difference! read more

Why do all these great asian shops arrive when I'm about to possibly leave chicago??? Background: I grew up in LA and have had some of the best boba from the shops in the San Gabriel valley. This is one of the newest additions to Taylor street and it is MUCH needed. I needed something to fill the void in my heart after Tbaar closed. It's actually located inside Hana sushi I ordered the Rose tieguanyin milk tea with boba at regular sugar. Overall, I was very impressed. I could taste the rose flavor without it being too overwhelming or artificial compared to some other places in Chicago. The boba was chewy and sweet! I only wish it could be warm too to resemble the boba shops that I enjoy back in LA. Parking: street metered Taylor street parking Overall: if I'm in the area or craving boba, I'd come back to this shop! I just wish that Gathers would open its own independent store so I don't have to feel as awkward when I'm only there for a drink. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Rose tieguanyin milk tea with boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wanted to try a new boba place from our usual and glad we did! Tucked in the middle of University Village on Taylor street and inside a sushi place (Hana Sushi). It's a walk up style unless you're there to dine for the sushi so don't expect a place to stay for a chitchat or get work done. I ordered the brown sugar matcha latte with boba and my girlfriend got the strawberry matcha latte, 75% sweetness for both. Both were delicious! Perfect amount of sweetness and chewiness for their boba. Their prices already include tax and price fairly compared to those in Chinatown. Would definitely come back to try their other options. Hopefully they'll be able to open up a bigger store front in the future with tables and seating! And I can see that being very successful. For now, I don't mind just stopping by for a quick grab and go style boba if I'm in the area. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Regular strawberry matcha latte (left) and large brown sugar matcha latte with boba (left) - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am absolutely in LOVE with the strawberry matcha latte! It is an excellent balance between the matcha and strawberry and the tapioca are delicious and fresh! You are also able to adjust the sweetness level but i got 100% and it is not too sweet like most tea bar places! The owner is very sweet! Place is definitely a hidden gem ! Prices are very reasonable! There's also a cute wall to take IG worthy photos! read more

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Camr here with high expectation due to all of the great reviews, we left with disappointment... Not only we waited a long time for our tea even though there was only one group in front of us, the quality of the tea was really just average and definitely not worth $5... Also, since I ordered no ice, the tea was served luke warm instead of cool which was highly unusual. Really wanted to support family business but sorry not my cup of tea. read more

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I tried many different teas from them and all are so good. The HK milk tea is surprisingly good. Can't help to visit them whenever I pass by the area. Best boba in Chicago !!! read more

Waited until my second visit here to write the review so I could try more drinks! The first time I came here I got the black sesame matcha latte and the hojicha milk tea. Both drinks were amazing- I personally love black sesame so if you do too then this is the drink for you! I've never had hojicha and it was probably the BEST milk tea I've had. I normally order roasted oolong where ever I go so I am glad that I tried something new! Today, I got the brown sugar matcha latte with boba and my boyfriend got the peach oolong milk tea with sea salt foam. Both were amazing!! The people there are very friendly and knowledgeable about the teas they brew- definitely will be back again! read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was recommended by a friend to check this place out and let me say, I wish I had known about Gathers earlier! I am visiting Chicago for just a couple of days and needed to get my boba fix. After trying a number of boba places, I literally thought boba in Chicago was a bust. But after trying Gathers, lemme just say this might be one of the best boba I've had (like ever... and that's saying A LOT). I got the lychee green tea with 75% sweetness and it was the perfect amount of sweet. My boyfriend also got the brown sugar milk tea and that was really good as well. For mine- the tea flavor was very aromatic and flavorful at the same time. The boba itself was perfect- chewy and tasted really good. I also tried the brown sugar crystal boba, which is a nice consistency and very tasty :) If y'all ever need to get boba, this is the place to be. It's so good, Gathers had me coming back the day after LOL. read more

Best bubble tea place in Chicago! Gathers never misses and I'll always go out of my way to come here. If you've never been here before, just go with the classic Assam milk tea with boba. I typically ask for less ice and less sugar as well. read more

Gathers Tea Bar - Front entrance - Bubble Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois