AVOID!! I love supporting small businesses and really wanted to like this place so I can return and send others, BUT too many issues... 1) Employees aren't familiar nor clear with ingredients, which is problematic for a diabetic 2) Basic jasmine milk tea was just shy of $10 for a large, marketed as 32oz but was quite a bit short. See pic of my 32oz Hydro Flask (she did top it off after explaining that she knew the cups weren't a full 32 ounces -of course I had to question the size first). When I asked about it, the owner seemed to know that their cups are smaller than the advertised amount but because, according to her, that's how it was marketed to them by the supplier, they didn't change it. Again, this is problematic to me. If you know the supplier is short changing you, and my guess is because you went with the cheapest cup (which may also mean inferior plastic for unwitting consumers), why in the world wouldn't you remeasure and advertise it correctly??!!! You've lost my trust in exchange for a quick buck. I'd prefer honesty. 3) Worst offense... within 30 minutes of drinking, I started feeling unwell and getting bloated. Clearly indicates to me that they either didn't disclose some mysterious ingredient or there was a problem with their sanitation somewhere -unfortunately I didn't watch her make it. Prior to this happening and me now stuck on the couch in pain, I was going to give them an extra star for quick service. It's a little shop in a small strip mall, clean enough in the table areas but unsure about the back. I didn't check reviews before walking in because somebody nearby had recommended it to me -a stranger, and I figured how bad can a boba shop be, obviously MY mistake. Gotta check YELP before I go anywhere. Had I read previous reviews, especially the one star recently about using chemicals in the same sink they make drinks from with TAP water, I would have never entered. On top of this, the taste was one of the worst milk teas I've ever had. Tasted like milk powder than real milk. AVOID!! read more

Gelabong - Outside - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Gelato or Boba Ice Tea? Well, the overcast weather sure doesn't call for a brain freeze, and I could use some thirst quenching. A Thai Milk Tea with 50% sweetness should do the trick. The racks of yummy-lookin' Mochi Donuts was so inviting too but I had to say no because they're not gluten-free, so my restraint was justified. I have been to Boba shops before where the percentage of ice fills close to, if not half the cup. Gelabong took it upon themselves to fill mine with about 25%, maybe even a tad less without me requesting lite ice. This means I have more tea to enjoy without too much dilution. The place looks clean, smells subtly delicious and they have an instagramable white bench in front of a gray leafy wall outside. Lots of drinks to choose from. Dalgona world be one I would try next time. read more

Gelabong - Thai Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

We have visited this GELABONG multiple times now. They have good drinks here and on our recent visit we had MANGO SLUSH with STRAWBERY POPPING and LYCHEE JASMINE with Boba topping Lychee Jelly, and this time we tried their DUBAI CHOCOLATE MOCHI DONUT. I was surprised that the MOCHI my wife picked, the DUBAI CHOCOLATE MOCHI was $7.50, it was more expensive than our Drinks, and our drinks were only $6.25 and $7.00. The other Mochi were only $4 I guess it's because it's new and it's Dubai Chocolate which I didn't taste any difference much compared to the other Chocolate Mochi donut before. But my wife ordered it so I can't say any about it, My wife is happy so life is better. Drinks here as always are delicious and so glad they are not overly sweet. Staff are super nice here, very welcoming . Parking for 45 minutes is Free and after that, you have to pay. read more

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Been here on multiple occasions and every time was great. From boba to deserts they were all great. I usually don't like mochi donuts although I do like theirs. The service is always good and fast. The place is nice and clean. Overall a good spot. read more

The matcha latte tasted like milk with a hint of matcha to make it a little bit green. Also the pictures made it seem like they had more ice cream flavors, but it was really limited. Ended up getting the strawberry shaved ice for my kids. It tasted ok. read more

First time here. Came in to grab a quick sweet treat while in the area. We ordered two Mochi Donuts, Peanut Butter Flavor & Fruity Pebbles. Donuts were great! Nice and fluffy, super sweet! Service was fast, cool vibes in there. read more

Gelabong - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Tuesday night treat for two mamas. If you're lucky you'll score parking in the lot like we did. First 45 minutes is free. I was greeted warmly by Bailey. She was oh so kind to answer all my questions and give recommendations. We ordered: -Gelabong: Taiyaki with custard, chocolate & strawberry swirl -Peach Tea with Mango Jelly -Mochinuts: Blueberry, Cinnamon & Sugar, Dubai Chocolate, Mango, Matcha, Taro Soft serve legit tasted like chocolate covered strawberries. Taiyaki was so yummy. Kinda wanted another one. Favorite flavor Mochinut was Blueberry, slightly sweet with the fresh berry goodness. Least favorite was Dubai Chocolate, great pistachio flavor but the ratio goodness was to mochi was too much. I didn't try to tea but my friend said it was good. The mango jelly were in star shapes so bonus point for that fun detail. Lots of indoor seating. Very clean and friendly atmosphere. The place was popping right before we left at 8:30pm. The damage including tip $48.51. Will certainly be back for more Taiyakis! read more

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Came here for some boba and mochi doughnuts. The service was fast and they are friendly, they have some seating available but the place looks kinda old. The food was okay. read more

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This spot was perfect since I was craving boba, and my cousin wanted ice cream and Gelabong offers both. We ordered the Blueberry Black Milk Tea and the Gelabong with cookies & cream soft serve and nutella filling. The milk tea was good, though the blueberry flavor was very subtle, so for us, it was a 3.5/5. The highlight was the taiyaki as it was made fresh and paired really well with the soft serve. 5/5! The service was very quick and friendly, and they have a wide variety of menu items to choose from! Would recommend! read more

Gelabong - Blueberry Black & Gelabong - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Popped in on a nice Saturday afternoon with a group of friends. So many choices and we all loved our choices. Strawberry with a custard fish. Tasted fresh and delicious. Clean shop, quick and pleasant service. Definitely will be back! read more

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I've tried the mochi donuts before and I think that was just aren't my thing in general, but I really found my thing when I tried their taiyaki!! My favorite filling is the custard filling but I had a hunch the string cheese filling was gonna change my life, and I was so right. It is just the perfect combination. What I like to do now is DoorDash half string cheese and half custard teriyaki and eat the former as my meal and the latter as my dessert. I always DoorDash these so they're inevitably a little steamed. My pro tip for this is to always pop em in the air fryer for a few minutes to get them back to that crispy exterior melty interior goodness:) read more

Gelabong - Taiyaki - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Cute little place if you are craving Boba or milk tea. It is in the corner of a very small parking lot. It was really tasty and good. And they had really nice workers! read more

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Tasty mochi donuts and cafe offerings! Not too sweet, but delicately balanced, and they luckily had donuts even late into the afternoon. Black sesame and fruit mochi donuts were delicious. Parking is VERY limited in the adjacent lot. Lots of turnover but be careful getting in and out. Prices are a bit on the higher side overall. Staff makes decent recommendations and are prompt/courteous. Definitely a pick-up and to-go type place without much space/room to sit and enjoy your afternoon treat. Recommended. read more

My friend and I were craving dessert on a Saturday night and we knew somi somi would be too crowded. We opted to try this place as the reviews were decent! Service was decent, didn't seem she was happy to be there. The place itself is small, clean, but has plenty of seating available. There is a small parking lot, but parking can be difficult at certain times in this part of Hillcrest. Overall, I wouldn't come back here for dessert. Food review: - I tried the matcha, it had a strong and interesting flavor but it didn't taste like matcha. -Cookies n cream: (3/5) I ordered this with toppings (Oreo crumbles, fruity pebbles, and peanuts) and a Nutella taiyaki. The taiyaki was delicious, warm, and perfectly toasted. I should have tried it prior as I wouldn't have ordered it. Does not taste like cookies and cream. It had a very bland chocolate flavor at best. -Vanilla ice cream and taro taiyaki: (4/5) This was simple, but pretty good. read more

Gelabong - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Love this place-- great boba and really nice owners. Get the matcha strawberry it's yum!

This was our first time here and had to try the create your own Gelabong!!! We were greeted as we came in with a smile. Great energy!! read more

Gelabong - Our delicious deserts! - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

What a treat to even be able to park in this area! Fresh made earl grey milk tea with boba. They also have mochi donuts, Taiyaki. Excellent service. Huge tea. I got mine 1/4 sweet and would sea if they can do a little less still! read more

Gelabong - Mochi Donut - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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I've visited Gelabong a few times and noticed some concerning hygiene and sanitation issues as a customer. Drinks are often made using water directly from a sink that is also used for cleaning. Gloves are rarely worn, and no hairnets are used. Ingredient containers sometimes appear unwashed before refilling, and I observed cups being rinsed and reused after a customer returned a drink. Some tools and containers had visible residue or buildup, and personal items like shoes or bags were stored near food prep areas. While the drinks may look unique or fun, the overall cleanliness of the prep area didn't seem well maintained. I have reported these concerns to the appropriate health authorities so that they can review the safety of the establishment. I'm sharing this experience to help others make informed decisions while the matter is being looked into. I would also highly encourage anyone visiting, especially families with children, to carefully consider the hygiene and sanitation issues I observed. The conditions I saw raise concerns about cleanliness and food safety, and it may not be immediately obvious how food and drinks are being prepared. read more

I've been trying to find more tea places in my area so I stopped by here even though the primary appeal of this place is the soft serve taiyaki. My husband got the peanut butter banana smoothie and it was very good. Definitely a decadent dessert and not a healthy smoothie because it comes drizzled with caramel too, but if that's what you're looking for, this one's a good option. The tea is the kind brewed individually from tea bags, so you aren't able to sample. So I took a risk on the mint tea and didn't like it haha. It was way too minty and reminiscent of toothpaste or breath mints, so if you're looking for something subtle, this is not it. But that's on me for picking something a risky flavor. The blueberry syrup was nice, though. I got it at 25% sweetness and it was still pretty sweet. The atmosphere is very quiet and small so I wouldn't really say this is a cafe I'd like to study or hang out at, but there are benches available to do so. I don't know yet if I'd return, but I wouldn't be opposed to it. In an area that only has two Asian-inspired tea shops (Little Nap and Gelabong), it's not a bad option. read more

Gelabong - Peanut butter banana smoothie and blueberry mint tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

It was okay I got donuts for my co workers did not realized how expensive they are for a 12 donuts. Good but not that good for almost 50 dollars!! read more

Stopped by Gelabong to try their drinks, but I wasn't too impressed. The tea was just okay--nothing special. The boba, unfortunately, had no flavor and was overly chewy, which made it hard to enjoy. Hoping they can improve the quality, because the concept is good, but the execution fell flat this time. read more

Gelabong - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is my favorite Boba in San Diego. The boba is the perfect texture, they have many delicious flavors and toppings, and have nondairy options! read more

Tucked away in a corner of a small plaza, parking can be a hassle. There's small parking lot in front and street parking--both require a fee. They were very kind and patient as I was trying to figure out my order. They explained the differences between their selection, which was super helpful! I got a jasmine milk tea with crystal/white boba. It's made with fresh brewed tea, not pre-made! I really enjoyed it. I also got taiyaki--red bean, Nutella, and custard. Well-filled but not as crispy as I typically like it. read more

Gelabong - Jasmine Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Popped in for a boba fix and--OMG--freshly baked taiyaki?! Total happy-dance moment. They let me mix & match the fillings, so of course I got four... because self-control is overrated. Taro, red bean, and more--each one warm, fluffy, and SO good. This place is beyond cute... and yes, my heart (and stomach) are full. read more

Gelabong - I ordered 4 taiyaki -4 favors (custard, red beans, taro & Oreo)! - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Obsessed! The BEST mochi donuts in San Diego. Mango, fruity pebbles, matcha, & ube are my favorites. Excellent boba & taiyaki! Whatever you're looking for they have it! They're helpful when you're extremely indecisive. They also have cute little photo ops in the store. Everything is cute down to packaging. If I could eat/drink here every single day I would! read more

Gelabong - Ube Brown sugar - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Gelabong is a local dessert shop specializing in Taiyaki, mochi donuts, and boba drinks. On this visit, I opted to get a few taiyaki and the strawberry milk. The taiyaki are made fresh in front of you and you are able to choose your preferred filling. The texture of the taiyaki is chewy and steamy, exactly how it should be. The strawberry milk was a bit sweet but that may have been from my choice to add extra strawberry fruit puree. Check out Gelabong if you're looking for a sweet pick me up! read more

Gelabong - Strawbrrry Fresh Milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Been going here for 2 years now! Quick service, very sweet staff, and their drinks are always made with care! Great place to be a regular at since they have a point system too! The Wintermelon Green Tea is my absolute fav and a bit of a rare flavor to find! The shop is always clean and tidy and their remodel truly enhanced the vibe! We love our Gelabong here in Hillcrest! read more

Sooooo good! The perfect place to satisfy a Taiyaki craving! I got matcha with a nutella taiyaki and it was delicious! The matcha soft serve was perfect, not too sweet! read more

Gelabong - Matcha Soft Serve with oreo crumbs - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

A bizarro world where your ice cream cone is turned upside down and filled with Nutella and soft serve. Oh and your cone is a freshly waffled Fish. Yes I am here for this. It's a Korean thing. Not that I'm Korean just 100% cultural appropriating. I have crazy respect for the culture and cuisine and this joint is a fun and yummy neighborhood gem. My professional advice to you, Grab yourself a fish filled with custard and sweet cream skip the toppings. read more

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Great. Their coffee kicks me right in the keister and the crème brûlée pastries are amazing

With a cadre of snacky teens in tow who had just escaped a serial killer's apartment (see previous review ;), Gelabong came to my rescue with its extensive menu of taiyaki, boba drinks, and more! There was something for everyone, and while nothing blew anyone's mind, everything tasted as expected. Unfortunately, there were very few mochi donuts in stock by evening, and what remained didn't look particularly fresh. Service was great, however, and surprisingly speedy given the size of our group! read more

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Oh my goodness the boba was so soft. The perfect consistency. I got the jasmine milk tea and my husband got the matcha milk tea. I'm a fan!! There is a parking lot which is helpful. There was little to no wait time as well. We'll be back for sure. read more

I and my family were craving sweet drinks. I found Gelabong on Yelp. They had a very nice menu of drinks, Tayaki, and Mochi donuts. Since we were craving drinks, we ordered the following to deliver to our hotel: -Banana Fresh Milk  5/5 - Thai Milk Tea.  5/5 The Best! - Strawberry fresh Milk   5/5 It has fresh strawberries in. - Taro Milk Tea 5/5 They gave us a free Mochi Donut with 4 drinks. The donut we got was Ube. It was scrumptious, fluffy and delicious All the drinks were refreshing and not too sweet.For sure , next time I will go in person to try their Tayaki and more of their delicious drinks. read more

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Cute little that was nearby the place I was staying. Would recommend for any boba lovers!!

Just okay. If you're in the area craving boba it's fine but no worth going out of your way. Stopped by here on a boba craving. It's located in a small strip mall with a poke place next door. Parking sucks. Lot is too small and people always seem to block the way in and out. Menu is pretty extensive with tea, desserts, mochi donuts and more. I had a milk tea with boba and some tea with Korean candy on top. Also orders a few Mochi donuts. The tea was okay. Boba was pretty soft. Yea was a bit watered down. The Korean candy tea was pretty bad. The candy is supposed to melt into the tea?? It just created bland tea while you waited for the candy to dissolve. The mochi donuts were stale but tasty. I'm not sure if it's the recipe they use or the donuts were old but I have had better. They do have a huge selection of flavors. Overall it was an underwhelming experience. Nothing was terrible but nothing great. read more

Gelabong - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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We have been meaning to try Gelabong out for some time, as it has popped up on our IG feeds numerous times. Finally got the chance to and it was a bit of an effort to find parking since the lot is pretty small, but luckily we snagged a spot from someone who was just leaving. Upon entering, the staff wasn't too friendly and seemed a bit overwhelmed that they had multiple customers inside at once. As for the shop, it was simply decorated inside with some chairs lined up along the wall. You could see behind the counter as they made drinks and taiyaki etc., which was cool as we witnessed our order being prepared. We ordered an ube mochi donut, an iced Thai milk tea with boba, and a strawberry & matcha filled taiyaki. The donut was a bit stale, though it was expected since it was pulled from the front pastry case. The Thai tea was awesome, but the boba had a gummier texture as if it had been overcooked or was stored at a temperature that was too warm. The taiyaki was fresh and the strawberry & matcha soft serve paired really well together and weren't overly sweet. Overall a decent visit, but Gelabong is not high up on my list to revisit due to accessibility and quality of products. read more

Gelabong - Taiyaki with strawberry & matcha soft serve Thai milk tea with boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Used to be my go to spot for a sweet treat 1-3 times a week after a light dinner but I come to find that they no longer have soft serve!!! Saddened since I thought that was the whole premise of this business and I've since had to resort to getting my dessert fix across the street at burger lounge. Unfortunately won't be coming back. They've also decided to randomly start selling bagels? Hope that's not the reason they got rid of soft serve! read more

Love all the options here... mochi donuts, taiyakis, smoothies, milk teas... basically everything to satisfy your dessert craving! Must try the dalgona caramel macchiato! read more

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Love this local business in Hillcrest ! Most boba I have been to is located in Convoy area so it's nice to have a local one. The employees and service is here is always top notch. Servers are efficient, it's never too busy, and they are really nice ! It's open pretty late for the area too so you can your fill They sell mochi donuts and some desserts too which I'm excited to try Definitely earning 5 stars for allowing my dogs in there read more

Gelabong - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Love their drinks! I always go for ube or strawberry milk with boba. Last time I tried the lychee with aloe and it was perfect for the hot weather. Not a fan of the donuts though, felt there were on the dry side. Workers are super friendly & helpful if you've never been. read more