With the abundance of boba shops opening up, I feel like it's important to weed out the ones that are worth our time and money. I used to dream about going to half & half as a teenager bc I'm from garden grove and I didn't drive so going to Rowland heights was a treat, hahaha I also was excited to get the "chubby" boba cups that they're known for. Sad to say that bubble of excitement and nostalgia was kind of burst when I tried half & half again this time. It's pretty overpriced and overrated for the quality of drink you receive here. This time we ordered a classic milk drink # 1 (milk slush, caramel, pudding, boba) and a matcha strawberry au lait. Our drinks were $11 for the regular size. So I guess that's average price? But there are far better options for the same thing. Nothing wrong but nothing special. The menu has so many options (a whole metal ring booklet of choices) that it's almost overwhelming to pick. The staff has their faves written on the board but there's random posters on the walls advertising other drinks too. The shop was cute and service was polite. The plus side is that this chain is near plenty of bomb food places and round 1 arcade so you can make a night of the area! read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Classic milk drink #1 + matcha strawberry au lait - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Lavender milk tea latte with boba $9.46 upgrade. Not as flavorful as before but still ok read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Receipt - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Good taste of boba place good place to chill and hang out boba was pretty good here good place read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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We had a great experience here and their boba tea is above their competitors! I love their kumquat lemonade and mango green tea. You get to choose your level of sweetness. I did mine at 50% and it tasted awesome!!! read more

Just ordered 2 drinks, #1, and the boba is extremely hard. So disappointed because they have been in business for years now, and they still make simple mistakes like this. Since it's a boba shop, and one of the key ingredients is boba itself, they can't even get it right. read more

This is the original half milk and half tea place in Southern California. We use to come here a lot for their drinks. Their drinks are on the sweet side. The part that I like about their drink is they grind all their ice to grainy texture. Their special brown sugar half milk and tea with boba and grass jelly was my favor. The inside the store has unique old time design. They even has old style pay phone. I think the place need some uplift after pandemic is over. read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Suggested drinks - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

For fall they have free one topping and upgrades!! Their regular is as big as is too. I usually get less sweet for drinks bc they tend to be on the sweeter side. This use to be my go to spot when I'm in the area but my recent visit the drinks doesn't taste the same anymore idk why. read more

The drinks were great! It was quite busy but we were able to order and get our drinks within 10 minutes! read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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My drink was a bit on the blander side and for whatever reason there was enough caffeine in it to make me jittery for a few hours afterwards. It was supposed to have peach flavor but I couldn't really detect it. It's OK, but didn't really hit the spot for me. There are better spots around now, not sure I'd be back anytime soon. read more

Every time i'm in the area Half & Half is on my boba to go list! I'm a creature of habit so I tend to either get the Ice Milk or Milk Tea with Egg Pudding/Honey Boba. I tend to get a large since I'm rarely in the area and it is so filling. I also enjoy how Half & Half uses crushed ice in their drinks. We tried the coffee milk tea and that was solid as well, but would opt to get the classic ice milk over it. Others in our group tried the guava lemonade and green apple green tea and mentioned those were super refreshing if you want something different. Be sure to check out their other board that mentions staff favorites as well if you're looking for something new to try. This month the strawberry milk tea was a recommendation that sounded super yummy so I will need to check that out next time. read more

Such a cute, lovely spot. Upon my first visit, I tried the: Honey Black Milk Tea with Boba + Pudding (4/5): Very tasty, not too sweet, boba is good quality and has a nice chew. One thing I must mention is that they Upsize the drink for FREE (I believe) and the price you pay for the size you get is 100% worth than most boba shops. Definitely sense an authentic vibe to it, will be coming back for sure. Until next time ~ read more

Drinks are always nice! High quality tea, never disappointed every time I go! If you can't decide on what to get, there's a top 10 for customers favorites and another list for what the employees like. :) read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

This place is a joke. I purchase 6 large drink and ask to use the restroom. While i waited. They told me they need to hold my driver license will return when I give them the key. I was so angry that they treat you like criminals read more

Stopped by for some drinks, we got a icee milk drink with caramel, boba, and pudding and a winter melon tea with boba. It was yummy and we got a free upgrade for both to get the super large size. The only thing was that it was a lot of ice so the drink wasn't as much. read more

TLDR: Darn I was really looking forward to this but my drink was not the best; this is a really popular place though so maybe give it a try! - Taste: I got the lavender milk tea with soy milk and boba, but my drink did not taste like lavender at all. Maybe the soy milk was too overpowering but I also can't drink whole milk which is what it usually used. The boba pearls were way too hard in the center too :( - Portion Size: I got the large size which was HUGE and really couldn't finish drinking it. - Price: I think my drink came out to $7+ which is on the pricier side for boba, but the portion was really large. - Service: The drinks came out fast! - Ambiance: The shop is kind of small, not much place to stay inside. - Parking: Huge free parking lot behind the shop! - Return: Unlikely read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

I personally love Half & Half, as it is one of my favorite boba establishments ever. But I don't understand why this location never satisfies me. It's very small, parking can be difficult to find, and the drinks don't have a lot of flavor. I always order the Rose Green Milk Tea with Sea Salt Latte and Honey Boba at other Half & Half locations in Monterey Park and Arcadia, and they always hit the spot. I just think they could use less ice and sweeter/stronger flavors here :-) read more

Half & Half Tea Express - n___n - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

I've been a huge fan of this place on and off for roughly ten years because no matter what new boba shops I tried, I keep coming back to half & half for their milk drink or milk tea. Their milk drink with honey boba is the OG, and their teas are pretty strong (that can keep you awake as a coffee). My huge piece of advice is that you should try drinking the 100% sugar first then adjust to 75% or 50% during your next visit since the drinks already have a good balance. Also make sure to shake the drink well to mix it up, since they leave the layers as it for you to take photos. The service is good, and the store is well maintained. Nothing much to say with the ambiance because this place is a grab your drink and go, not really fit to stay around since COVID happened. Lots and lots of people from time to time, so please be patient with them. Parking is plenty, too. Just make sure to drive safe because there are some blind spot in the lot. It's a 4.5/5 for me because of the nostalgia. read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Thai tea. It's a 7/10 for me. It's strong and great for caffeine lovers. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

First time coming here and most likely my last. 4 drinks for $27 and it was tasteless. My number 10 wintermelon special was pretty much water and boba. So not worth the money. read more

drink : i STAY getting half & half bc it's like the most convenient ? boba place to get idk and it doesn't disappoint most of the times !! just read the menu clearly service : not a long wait at all !! + they're all really nice ;p ambiance : THIS PLAZA IS SO WEIRD ?? why is there back doors like that ??? idk if this place gets busy but there's like a small space, it's not bad ; not a place you'd sit and chill at order and go read more

Half & Half sucks now or at least this location. It sucks that they suck because they used to be one of the major boba players in the game. Now, they're washed up on the beach like a dead seal, once admired from afar on the dock when it was alive. 【QUICK TIPS】 # There's no customers inside for a reason. They're half-assed and half-assed now, serving half-assed tea to people who don't know any better. Half & Half used to be really good in the first part of the 2010s. 【end QUICK TIPS】 At boba shops, I order simple drinks like green milk tea or jasmine milk tea. At my last visit, the milk tea tasted like that powdered crap that the OG generic shops like Boba Ya and Lollicup used back in the day. What am I paying for now? I don't want to pay for powders and concentrated syrups. I want the old Half & Half back. Back a decade ago, AU79 and Half & Half were the top 2 contenders then AU79 died and Half & Half managed to survive. I guess it's hanging on its last claw while specialty shops like Tiger Sugar and Boba Guys mauled away at the boba industry's market share. While AU79 imploded, will Half & Half collapse? read more

Today's visit was certainly disappointing. I hadn't been here in over a year, but have been a customer for well over 5+ years, starting from the SGV locations. I had been craving my fav, the Iced Milk Drink w/ Honey Boba and Grass Jelly and was excited to be in the proximity of the location to be able to order and enjoy! During COVID times, there are no markings on the floor to show 6-ft social distancing, so this couple decides to stand less than an arm length away from me. I didn't say something, because sometimes it could cause confrontation, but it was also causing me to be anxious. There's no way for the cashier/workers to see because it is around the corner of the register. There is only a menu on the wall, on the right hand side when walking into the store from the parking lot. I ordered my usual Iced Milk Drink w/ Honey Boba and Grass Jelly and opted for the large size, +$0.80, since I was going to share with family members. The total came to be a whoppin' $6.96 for a drink that barely has any boba, any brown sugar syrup, and most definitely barely any grass jelly. Out of the huge cup, barely 1/2" of ingredients on the bottom of the cup. Quite disappointing and not the same tastes as before. Definitely did not hit the mark and will most likely never return. I can order a meal or something for the same cost, and it'll taste better. read more

I was reminded of how much I DESPISE Half&Half "Tea Express" after deciding to give them another chance after many years. I ordered an Osmanthus Green Tea since they're out of/discontinued oolong tea for whatever reason. Honestly stupid. I only came here because I saw their Fall Promotion was for 1 free upgrade and 1 free topping. That was a joke. The free topping applies to all their other toppings EXCEPT boba. LOL LIKE SERIOUSLY?? The most popular topping is NOT an option?? And second of all, their promotion should have stated one free upgrade OR 1 free topping. I ended up paying $7 for my drink despite some "promotion". Never again Half and Half. You honestly suck. Advice? GO TO TENJU! read more

I got the almond milk tea with coffee jelly! The size is huge and decent for the pricing. I got 25% sweetness and it was the perfect balance for me since I don't like my drinks too sweet. Coffee jelly had a unique coffee flavoring and went well with the drink. I wish they included straws for takeout but you need to ask for them. Would come back to try other drinks! read more

I really don't like writing low-star reviews but this is unavoidable. I would have given it a 1-star had it not been the fresh tea. I did save a cup in fridge for pics later. Anyways: here's what happened: my mom and I stumbled upon this tea house was due to her friend's suggestion a long time ago. We decided to check it out ordering boba milk tea Except how much boba showed up in the milk tea?! Let's see: it's almost equivalent to nada!!!! 2 little scoops were what showed up in each order of boba milk teas we ordered. Seriously?! Since they had a Summer special, I was going to let the tea house keep the extra star, hence 2-stars. They had another Summer special on top of the free upgrade: if you spent $11, you get a free pair of yard slippers. For a pricey drink as such, I felt ripped off. Learned my lesson again....there're definitely risks when 'sploring newfound places. That's what Yelp is for!!!! Venting. Done. Thanks, Yelp for being there for me to vent for times as such. read more

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Custard was bland and too much ice watered down their drinks . The drinks were richer tasting 10 yrs ago. New boba cafes and long-standing boba cafes like 85 degrees are a better option than here. It was a ghost town inside Half & Half;Not a single Customer...it was quite underwhelming. read more

Omg this is so disgusting yet very disappointing. I love half & half but will NEVER buy drink from them again this is what I found in my drink "PLASTICS" that's supposed to be black grass jelly. I ordered (iced milk drink w/ caramel and grass jelly). This was after I let it sit in the freezer for a day. From grass jelly turned into plastics Please be aware of what you're drinking here everyone!!! read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Disgusting plastics grass jelly!!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Honestly very good boba. I generally like milk tea but decided the try the popular drink instead and Im so glad I didn't. The caramel was just enough sweetness and the egg pudding was just the right viscosity that I could drink it easily through the straw along with the boba. Just a yummy and delicious treat. Customer service was also awesome. They were upgrading drinks for free, today only. read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Milk Tea with Honey Boba (left) and Iced Milk with Caramel Egg Pudding with Honey Boba (right) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

Came here as usual when I'm in town but this time my experience was not as great. The boba was definitely harder. Maybe it's because I'm big on boba now and tasting all these other place my taste buds had advance. read more

Mood - MT of course Upon entering from what I'm assuming is the back of the tea shoppe, there is a small seating area with the menu on the wall, along with handhelds. We opted for the Guava Green Tea and Sea Salt MT. Both were very flavorful. There are so many options of tea combinations, along with specials, and employee favs - it was a bit hard to pick what we wanted. Interior is a small wait area, and a long sit up counter, even a separate type pick up area for your beverages. Even a vintage phone with instructions on how to call in your order. Everything was very clean. Would recommend- pricing was reasonable, staff was very friendly and accommodating. Location is Colima/ Hanover - ample parking read more

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Ordered the red bean slush with no adjustments. The drink was alright and was quite frankly underwhelming. When it comes to red bean drinks I am typically pretty easy to please. However the red bean taste was just too light. Felt more like an ice slush with a hint of red bean flavor. I definitely prefer their milk teas better. The drink was still fine but with the amount of boba options and other places available it is not something I'd get again. read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Red Bean Slush - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

This is my favorite boba place whenever I'm in the area to go to round 1. I'm sad that there isn't one in garden grove because their drinks are so affordable and there are so many varieties. My favorite is their lychee yogurt with lychee jelly. The workers are very nice and they work very quickly when it comes to orders. I regret not getting a large cuz it seemed so much but my boyfriend was also drinking it as well even though he's not much of a boba person. I will come back soon again read more

A popular boba spot and rightfully so. Good boba, quick service - not much more I can ask for. I decided to go outside of what I normally get and ended up going with their #2 most popular staff favorite - Iced milk with strawberry, honey boba, and egg pudding. Their egg pudding was pretty bland (not sure if it's supposed to be like that?), but the strawberry puree blended with the iced milk was super refreshing and flavorful. Highly recommend if you like strawberry-flavored drinks! 10/10 I'd get it again minus the egg pudding. I got 3 drinks for about $17 which I thought was pretty standard and fair for the size. read more

Price for iced milk went from 3 something to $6!!!! Ridiculous. Talk about inflation but this is unjustified. read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Summer upgrade promotion! Pay for a small drink and upgrade large. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

One of the best Boba places in OC! Drinks Matcha Green Tea w/ Grass Jelly- Grass Jelly was huge and you need to break it up in order to drink it through the straw. Matcha flavor was very strong. Milk Tea w/ Pudding & Honey Boba - favorite one with a strong tea flavor. Iced Milk Drink w/ Pudding & Honey Boba Note: They do not take Amex read more

This has been the best boba spot I have been to. The service was quick and server was friendly. I ordered the chocolate milk smoothie with honey boba. The chocolate milk had the right amount of sweetness. Then the best part was the boba. The texture was perfectly soft and chewy. I would go here daily, if it was closer to me. read more

If you want to look for the most ripped off boba drink, look no further. If you are feeling guilty about drinking these sweet boba, look no further. This Half & Half will serve all of your desire because they truly represents the meaning of Half and Half, that's Half Empty & Half Beverage or Half Air & Half Beverage or Half Empty & Half Air, whatever combination you want to put it. You will feel ripped off and less guilty since you are drinking half a cup of boba. Knowing the possibility of the owner of this Half & Half coming back to defend with some lame excuses of claiming my photos being an illusion or my photos were taken using clever optical angles I've flip the cup upside down to show the proof. Maybe you can ask if you just pay for half the cup , or when they charge you the 5 dollars it is only for Half a cup of bobo. Not going to comment on the taste since we came and waited in line for a reason. And NO, getting half air & half beverage isn't one of the reasons. OMG, have not been this dismay for a while. read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Half & Half stands for Half (Air) & Half (Beverage) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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After all these years, I still am in love with half & half. I think people are being a little harsh with their reviews because it is such a popular place and is being held to higher standards which is understandable. I've come probably 50 times or more. Don't even know why I bother going to the gym at this rate lol. Most of the time I stick with taro milk tea with boba. It comes with real taro at the bottom so you don't have to add a topping but I can't live without my bobas. Usually the boba comes out fresh and warm with a light honey coating. Never have had a problem with it being hard or anything like some other boba stands. Another fave is the almond coffee milk tea with coffee jelly. The jelly is like big gooey chunks not tiny individual pieces which I find goes perfectly with the drink. If I want to save some for day 2 then I'll just get this since it still tastes the same the next day. Always ask for less less ice!! Otherwise you may end up with a drink you can finish in 3 sips. Overall I always leave happy from here and so glad they take cards now. Much more convenient. read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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I had been to the other location and only recently learned about this location, which is very close to my house. I ordered the #1 as well as a very basic milk tea with nothing in it. Both were excellent. The two drinks together cost me $11.+ which I felt was a little too pricy. The speed of the service was excellent. I had barely placed my order with the cashier when the pick up counter yelled my number. read more

Half & Half Tea Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rowland Heights, California

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Always love going here whenever I'm in RH! Cups are so cute and they're round and just kawaii. They don't fit in your car cup holders but I guess that's fine by me. Sometimes the line can be very long and its a struggle waiting to order because I don't like waiting in long lines and the place is quite small but usually gets busy and packed. I don't think I ever dislike any of their drinks before. One time I ordered over 5 different drinks here for myself just because its just that good. This is one of the main local spots where people like to go get boba. And I approve! For location, its next to a ramen place, bakery, karaoke, dim sum place, & jazz cat. I love going to jazz cat! Lots of different food finds in this plaza. read more

After an exciting day at Costco my husband took me here for boba. It's a bit hidden around the side of Costco. With covid going on this was an exciting surprise. Their honey boba is sweeter than most other places and their matcha drink is not as sweet, which I love because it's not overly sugared up. Could just be me but their custard pudding also taste a bit fruity. For the summer they're doing free large upgrades! Friendly staff. Clean. Social distancing and masks required. I'm not originally from this area so maybe taste and expectations are different here but I would come back. It's not a trendy hang out spot if that's what you're looking but it's better than most boba I've had in this area. Slightly different than what I'm use to but Solid drinks and friendly service. read more

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