Another long overdue review and I'm not the fondest of this franchise, but it did it's job, especially with its proximity to down town San Jose, literally being in walking distance of SJSU and of course, the only reason that I'm here every year, Fanime. I grabbed some boba while waiting for someone to be done with their final before heading to the con. I got their standard Panda Milk Tea, less ice and regular sweetness (this was ages ago, as you can tell since I'm not that wary of sugar level as I am now). It's just their standard milk tea with black and white boba. Pretty sweet and just a normal drink over all, but it hit the spot before a longer day at the con. There's other boba options in the area, it was just nice to have this option right there. read more

My visit was around 6pm on Sunday, not a large crowd. They were out of the pumpkin pie which I wanted to try but had a lot of different options. The creme brulee matcha was pretty sweet at 50% but the earthiness from matcha somewhat balanced it out. I should have mixed it better. The boba was soft and chewy. There was open seating and only one worker service us all. She deserves a lot of kudos for handling all the orders. The place was pretty clean. read more

Gong Cha - Creme brûlée matcha, mango smoothie, matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

This was so refreshing on a warmer day! We ordered on the kiosks on the side (a new addition? I haven't seen them before) and got our order super quickly, within 5 minutes or less. Price was more on the affordable side compared to other stores, and the boba was chewy too. The seating area is a bit small/packed but we were able to find a spot facing the walkway outside. read more

Gong Cha - Peach Oolong Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

I always stop by when visiting downtown San Jose or walking around San Jose State University across the street. This location is very convenient and easy to walk to/from parking garages. There weren't many customers or students inside before 12 noon Monday. Self service kiosks are available for placing your order. They are quick and efficient. Straight forward business here. There are still lots of available tables and chairs inside as well as a few on outside for you to hang around at. Cashier is just doing his daily job. Beverage menu is still very good and filled with good options. I had the iced medium wintermelon fresh milk less sweet 50% ice for $5.25 and it tasted excellent/very good as usual. Pretty good here. Note, I'm not a fan of paper straws, so that's the only thing I didn't like. Comfortable chairs to sit inside and you can actually enjoy downtown San Jose street life while looking outside from those huge glass windows with natural lights. It really brightens up the experience. Expect beverages in the $5-$6 range, but they do have other special options. Snacks were not an available option on the kiosks. Overall, this old place is still decent and convenient for a hydration stop. Location is perfect. I would swing by again if revisiting. read more

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Great location in a great plaza. Perfect for hanging out with friends and strolling. Thank you to the barista that was making us drinks when it was close to closing time. Also Gongcha just introduce the XL cup, which is mad crazy! I order myself a Wintermelon milk tea. As long as it's not crazy busy. read more

For some reason the drinks were not too good. A lot of it just tasted like milk... I've been to gong cha in their east bay locations and I don't remember it tasting like this. But it seemed the kids working were nice but did not feel like going up to purchase another drink so we just thugged it out and drank it :/. The place is very cute though and has not decorations and seems very clean. I wouldn't come again though as there are other boba options read more

Gong Cha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Worst milk tea! Ordered oolong milk tea. Got a white drink that looks and tastes like milk. What a disappointment. $6 left in the trash can outside the store. Used to be a repeat customer but today was my last visit. The place has been trending down for a while... read more

Great Boba! The boba here was great and good amount of sweetness. Service was good and workers were really nice. The ambiance was relaxed and I came here at night time and it was very laid-back. Overall, it was great experience! read more

Gong Cha - Dirty Brown Sugar Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

They have a wide variety of customizable bubble tea drinks, including milk teas, fruit teas, creative mixes, smoothies, and more! Stop by and try them soon! So convenient! Grab a drink and walk downtown or SJSU. Service is nice, quick and easy! They greet you as soon as you walk in making it a very welcoming place! read more

Gong Cha - Extra extra flavorrrr - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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I wished I had a better experience. First when I walked in, I thought it was closed. Service was horrible. No one was in front to help me with any questions I had. My drink took way too long to make because the workers just kept talking to each other, it wasn't busy at all and my drink was the only order. When I finally got my drink, it was missing a topping. Will never come here again! read more

Food: popcorn chicken is very small, but more importantly, SALTY!!!! It's flavorful but very salty. Coffee milk tea is good, has good flavor, and is very enjoyable. Service: Cashier guy is very nice. He periodically updates me on my popcorn chicken progress (why it's taking longer than it should & that it is a work in progress). Very responsible employee. The chef apologized to me for making me wait for my food. Ambience: chill vibes, great seating area while I wait for my food. Very comfy read more

This Gong Cha is a small shop that is kind of hidden in one of they alleyways across from San Jose State. Parking is mostly street parking nearby - I parked closer to downtown and walked a few long blocks over. Service was decent and drinks came out in a reasonable amount of time. I ordered the green milk tea with boba at 50% sugar and 50% ice. The tea flavor was strong, but it still had a strong creaminess to the drink - it was a bit too creamy and sugary. The drink was very sweet for 50% sweetness. The boba was a bit on the hard and tough side. read more

This review was for pre-COVID-19. We stopped by here for a drink back on 2/1/20. There was one person here so it wasn't busy. We ordered a Pearl Milk Tea ($4.50) and a Green Milk Tea ($4.50). We waited for a few minutes before our drinks were ready. The Pearl Milk Tea tasted good to me and the Green Milk Tea was not bad. We didn't stay long after we got our drinks besides the pictures I took of the drinks. This was right next to San Jose State and Togo's so pretty convenient if you lived around downtown. I thought this place was not bad for drinks. read more

Gong Cha - Pearl Milk Tea and Green Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

I've been wanting to check out this location, and finally got the opportunity! I was craving a strawberry milk tea, and ordered it with 30% sugar which was good. (Even doing 0% sugar probably would be perfect) Service was great, and the drinks came out sooo quickly, was in and out in less than 5 mins! Anyways, I defintely recommend y'all stop and grab a quick drink while you're strolling through the food alley! read more

The food, drink, and boba are all consistent. It's great actually. Next to a busy street and right across a university, their boba balls feels and taste great. Every time I come after class, the people who work here are very nice. Even when it's busy, they know customer service. It's a staple for me during college. I love it. read more

Gong Cha - Fries, popcorn chicken, milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Ok this is not my first time coming to this boba place I thought people was having a bad day, that you get horrible service today I went to this boba and trying to get a drink and give them one opportunity but people there are not nice If you don't like you work move on. read more

Funny enough, I have to give this very Gong Cha location some credit for kickstarting my boba adventure. I used to go here all the time and thought this was the best thing since sliced bread. As I have expanded my boba knowledge and tried out many other joints throughout the years, I come to realize that Gong Cha is not a place I can properly recommend to someone who is familiar with milk tea. I remembered drinking the Pearl Milk Tea ($4.75 for large) a few years ago. I requested this drink at 50% sweetness and 25% ice. Tea is never strong and gives off this powdery, pasty feeling (could be too much non-dairy creamer or tea powder?). I would skip out on this drink. If I may add, I would also skip out on the Panda Milk Tea despite it being their top 10 most popular drinks because white pearls in their milk teas--as cute as that may sound--simply do not work. The Earl Grey Fresh Milk Tea ($5 for large with pearls) is slightly better. Similar to the Pearl Milk Tea, I requested this drink at 50% sweetness and 25% ice. While the whole drink was balanced, I didn't taste the Earl Grey all that much. This drink also gives off a pasty feeling, but it's less noticeable here as in the drinks outside the Fresh Milk series. The pearls used to be very good. They had a nice sweetness and texture to them. Nowadays, the pearls are somewhat bland. Not sure what's up with that. Regardless of location, if you want to get the most out of Gong Cha, go there for their snack options. I am happy to report that their Popcorn Chicken ($6.50) at 75% spicy is pretty good! You get a good portion size and a snack that doesn't front on the seasonings. Signature dryness, but enjoyable with or without ketchup. Waittime can vary between 2 minutes to 4 minutes for the drinks and 5 minutes for the snacks, which is fairly long. Has a very nice, familiar aesthetic. Many seating options available. Think this would make a great hangout place, but not necessarily a good study place. The staff is very hit-or-miss. Supports DoorDash. I would advise that you check out Boba Bar and Buddy Teahouse instead, which is also in the same part of Downtown SJ as Gong Cha. The quality of their drinks and the overall experience are noticeably better. read more

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Gong Cha is pretty good for anyone who wants to get a boba fix while being at SJSU. The Black Tea London Fog (I forgot the exact name of the drink but I recall it having 'London Fog' on it) is my go to and is enjoyable, though the sweetness can't be adjusted on that particular drink and I imagine it could come off as excessively sweet to some. There is a nice ambiance, with a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating and sofas for people to sit on while they wait for their drink. read more

Would have been my go to milk tea place whenever I am in Eastridge mall however the last time I came they were out of a bunch of stuff and it was just not so satisfying to change my order so many times. It's a typical milk tea place within the mall's food court. There are other places that does milk tea so there are other competitors for the boba loving customers is the Bay Area. At this point, nothing to be excited about. read more

Located across the street from the university, it is the perfect spot to sit and relax. It was busy when I visited but the three person crew got drinks out quickly. Who doesn't love boba!? The place is small and a bit cramped but there is tons of seating and tables outside. Prices were reasonable. I'll be back for sure when in town. read more

Gong Cha - entrance - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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Desperately needed coffee, and honestly, the Philz Coffee line was way too long. No line at Gong Cha and tried the house milk coffee and boba, with no line, it was quick and easy to get my order. The coffee was perfect, and this will be my next go to drink at Gong Cha! read more

Gong Cha - House coffee with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

After brunch, a girlfriend wanted boba tea. Decided to drop by Gong Cha on Sunday, September 2nd around 12:30pm. Black Tea ($3.50): no sugar, 25% ice *Large ($0.50) *Pearl ($0.50) *Pudding ($0.50) *Herbal Jelly ($0.50) I'm very much a tea purist, so I like my tea strong with a bunch of toppings. The tea here was okay. Lighter than I prefer. The toppings were pretty standard. I can't remember anything specific about them, but I believe the grass jelly was silky, the pudding creamy, and the boba soft with a nice chew. My gf seemed to enjoy the green tea she ordered. Convenient if you're at SJSU as it's right across the street. I just wish their tea were stronger. read more

Gong Cha - Black Tea: no sugar, 25% ice ($3.50), Large ($0.50), Pearl ($0.50), Pudding ($0.50), Herbal Jelly ($0.50) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Went here because I didn't want coffee or Philz. There was no one in line when I arrived and a line formed as I stared at the menu like a newbie for like a minute. Awesome, I played it off.... I know what im doin.... I let a couple of people ahead since I could't find food other than mochi waffles/waffles printed on the menu on display on the window and the same menu at the front desk..... I got a matcha smoothie at half/ 50% sweetness and I thought it was nice of the cashier to ask for toppings; I usually don't do toppings because too many cls for me. I am on a calorie and carb and fat and sugar restriction. By choice. I was in the mood so I got some lychee. They were out of popcorn chicken. I remember my first delivery from amazon maybe 2 years ago was a coffee smoothie and popcorn chicken order from T4.... They were both so good and I wanted me some chicken.... They were out. I got some garlic fries instead from a menu that was behind the cashier that can be seen from the front desk. Weird. My fries were cooked really good but had a odd cinnamon flavor, i'm not allergic to cinnamon and rarely order cinnamon and that was weird. The fries did have a nice potato crisp and my box had very little crispy ends. The cook hooked it up. I let the matcha smoothie sit and warm before I stirred it because it was so thick do drink. The matcha sugar level was just right, the lychee tasted ok. Maybe a pass on that topping next time or get it on the side? Weird. All and all I don't mind coming back here for a quick smoothie and subtle caffiene dose. Enso #82 +- Lychee not my thing here. Cashier let customers know about food options, what is out and the menu inside the store. Near SJSU. Friendly. Great social distance. _ "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain". - Dolly Parton read more

Gong Cha - Matcha smoothie. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Dropped off my toddler at preschool Said goodbye and she was cool. Went to Gong Cha for a snack, I'm not a boba queen so give me some slack. Remembered my homie's Panda drink, "That should be good!" I think. But forgot about how I hate jelly toppings. Damn sweet cravings! 30% sugar, 100% ice Still very sweet and wasn't too nice! Lobster balls were yummy, I wish they were crunchy, Didn't mind much that they were soft and wrinkly! My partner in crime wanted a snack, Thinking about lobster balls I came back. Wow! This place was crowdy with college peeps I think some of them were creeps! Wait for food was half an hour That made my face sour. My superhero princess found games it kept us occupied and happy, so she claims! Egg rolls were bland and tasted weird, "Sweet Potato Fries!" I cheered! Foam Brown Sugar Oolong tea 50% sugar, 100% ice, ZERO toppings was my plea! My drink was too sweet, but way better than the Panda tea! read more

Gong Cha - Foam brown sugar oolong tea w/50% sugar, 100%ice, 0 toppings 4.187135 stars! Sweet Potato fries 3.415499 stars! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Came for a tea in late afternoon. Decent space with outdoor seating. Conveniently placed for SJSU students and nearby street parking. Tea was good. Staff was prompt and amicable. read more

Gong Cha - a cup of tea on a table - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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First time reviewing this location! I've been here a few times years ago as an SJ local and happy to have been back! I ordered a Strawberry marble with boba #1 and a popcorn chicken. The drink tasted like a normal strawberry shake and it was one of those instances where it didn't look like the pictures. Though, I'd say it was still pretty decent, not too sweet. The boba was more on the softer side as I like it to be. The popcorn chicken was fresh out of rhe oven! I like how you get to choose the spice level whereas I've been to places that allows you to pour it on yourself. I'd come back when visiting friends from SJSU! read more

Gong Cha - Strawberry Marble with boba and Popcorn Chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

It's across the street from SJSU, there must be a lot students. This location is not exactly a place for you to sit down and chill for a long time as the number of tables are limited and there are just a handful of them. I got the green tea with milk foam, pretty yummy in my opinion but I still like the salted cheese topping from Happy Lemon more. They do have food, a few kinds of snacks on the menu but I have never tried them. read more

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The service is fast depending about what time you come here. They are pretty nice. The place is a good place to hang out, and they have some board games. The boba isn't bad. They also have snacks, but I haven't try those yet. Overall, it is not a bad boba place. read more

Gong Cha - Boba milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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For my first time going to this Gong Cha location, it didn't give a big impression. Since I am Taiwanese, I was surprised when they had Lemon Ai Yu on the menu, so I ordered it. Lemon Ai Yu- It really wasn't what I expected it to be. It was a little too sweet for my taste, and they weirdly chopped up the lemon peel in the drink. Unfortunately, I didn't really like it. In Taiwan, the drink is a lemoney drink with soft lemon jelly in it. I don't think I will be ordering this drink here again, but I will definitely come here again. read more

Gong Cha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Alright my dudes, something is UP. I love Gong Cha, and they were doing pretty well at this location a couple months back. Wassup with everything being THREE TIMES as sweet as necessary? I used to be able to get regular sweetness, but that slowly became sweeter, so a couple weeks ago I had to take it down a notch. That worked up until the visit before last, so I took it down another notch. Yesterday I got a drink at 50% sweetness and it was STILL too sweet. Sheesh! I have a major sweet tooth, so when I say it's too sweet, it's like...diabetes-inducing. What's worse is that the lemon drink with jelly that I got yesterday was actually just disgusting. The jelly was really watery, not firm at all, and that paired with the overly sweet syrup and the chunks of lemon peel and seeds was like w t f . . . I've had this drink before and it wasn't near as nasty. What does a boba gal have to do to get some good boba in DTSJ?? I still love their milk tea, so I guess I'll only return for those. I pray to the boba gods that they don't get too sweet either, because I'll either get diabetes or...just...stop...coming? This is completely in your hands! Do something!! read more

Gong Cha - Is this green stuff normal?? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Came by for milk tea the other day and it was surprisingly excellent! Despite the line being out the door, they had an employee take orders at the entrance to speed up the process. ...on the second day of opening, only a small fraction of employees were in Gong Cha uniforms, although most had name tags and many were wearing latex gloves while making the drinks?!? Pearl Milk Tea with 50% ice and 30% sugar came out perfect! Milk tea wasn't too sweet and was nice and strong. Pearls were perfectly chewy! Drinks are on the pricey side at $4 for the "medium". They do offer stamp cards where it's Buy 10 get 1 free and take credit cards too! read more

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I see people always idolize Gong Cha on Subtle Asian Traits and wondered what the big deal was. I think overhyping a place leaves you with higher expectations and disappointed in the end. That was definitely the the case for the drinks. My sister bought the creme brûlée topping, but it wasn't blowtorched on top, so it was just really sweet cream? I had the milk foam with green tea. I thought it was okay, but my sister really liked my drink. I was really excited to try the snack foods, but unfortunately they ran out of oil. read more

Gong Cha - Milk foam green tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Newly opened branch on Meridian is such a convenience for those milk tea fans, like my daughters, who cannot live without it! The place is clean, including the restrooms. They have a wide variety of flavors and kinds of drinks. I had the sparkling lychee and it was truly refreshing. My daughter got her favorite Panda Milk Tea in a regular and wished she had bought a large instead Parking is not an issue at all. Overall I would recommend this place. Hope they keep up the good work read more

"Oooh..ahhh" I say as I step foot into the Gong Cha. This was my very first time going to Gong Cha. I know there is one in Eastridge but I haven't been to that location either. It's conveniently next to SJSU. I'm really liking the interior. Looks modern and sleek. It's so weird to think that this place used to be Quickly's (gross). Gong Cha has plenty of drink selections to choose from. I like how they have a paper menu for us to decide while waiting in line. I have always seen people order a milk foam/ sea salt foam drinks so I thought I should give it a try. Plus, it looked cool ;). I ordered the Large Milk Foam Black Tea (100% sweet, 25% ice), no toppings) = $4. I decided to opt out of toppings because I wanted to actually taste my drink and not be distracted with the toppings. My drink came out really fast & actually tasted pretty good. I could taste the tea flavor and it had just the right amount of sweetness. I would come back again to try some other drinks (if the line isn't soooo long). *Card is accepted* read more

Gong Cha - Large Milk Foam Black Tea (100% sweet, 25% ice), no toppings - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Messed up my drink order twice. All the employees are clearly college kids that don't take customer service seriously. They even mocked us as if we couldn't hear. We never got greeted, we had to ask if we could order with the employee. Food was average. Overall, disappointed. read more

drink: mango green milk tea 10/10 (30 sweet less ice double pearls): not on the menu but what's nice about gong cha is whatever drink you can think of, they can make it! this is the perfect ratio of sweetness creaminess and fruit. it has mango chunks which makes it so much better. food: mochi waffles 10/10: my all time favorite craving. soft, warm, chewy deliciousnessss. sometimes i get ice cream on it too. the matcha and vanilla ice cream is so creamy and fresh. popcorn chicken 10/10: my ultimate go to spot for popcorn chicken, so fresh flavorful tastes super authentic to taiwanese popcorn chicken. i love the spicy to sweet to salty ratio. service: 11/10 everyone is always super kind and they work super fast. shout out to Kat, she's the most bubbly person i've ever met!!! i can tell she genuinely has a kind soul. super great to talk to and is always so cheerful. Donny is great too he always gets my order right and makes it lightning fast :) tips: i love how you can customize everything and i mean everything. if you want to sub out flavors or teas for milk tea it's super easy. they have a huge selection and anything is possible to make parking right on the outside, 20 min parking they always have the cutest signs and decorations read more

Gong Cha - mango green milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

This was my first time here so I wanted to give it a try , I placed an single drink order @ 3:08 I waited with other customers around as well and everyone around me was confused as to why it was taking so long many people there where asking for refunds I still waited and received my order until 3:45 . read more

I didn't realize it, but they must be doing something right and have won me back since I've been coming weekly. They still put ice in my drink when I say no ice sometimes, but at least the flavor has been more consistent. I hope the cloth that they're using to wipe the drinks are clean and only used for that.. read more

Ths Gong Cha location is convenient in downtown San Jose. They have a good amount of seats and tables both inside and outside. Lemon juice with pearl and ai-yu is my go-to drink for Gong Cha. They made it pretty good here, but it wasn't as sour/lemon taste as it should be. I also ordered popcorn chicken. This kitchen has got to be one of the slowest of any boba place. My friends and I were sitting outside, so I had to keep going back inside to check on my order. I think they forgot my order or something, but some people got their orders before I did. The reason I went I multiple times to check is because they would keep saying they are working on it and that it will done shortly. If they just said half an hour, I would've waited outside. But seriously, barely any guests and over half an hour to complete one popcorn chicken order? The popcorn chicken tasted mostly great, but many pieces were chunky and huge, such as 3 pieces of popcorn strung together, but were not prepared well enough to actually split into separate pieces. Chunky pieces aren't as tasty to me because there is less batter and crunch! read more

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This location is really great for SJSU students. It is right across the street from campus. Unlike Philz, Gong Cha is super fast. There's usually no line and the drinks come out quickly. The drink menu is consistent with other Gong Cha locations. There are only a few tables outside but it's enough for a quite bite or just to relax and have your drink. I got the house milk coffee and boba. It was creamy but not too sweet. There was enough caffiene to keep me up during my afternoon class. read more