Barely any boba pearls. Absolutely no flavor in their "top" drinks. Also the inside of the establishment smells like body odor. read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is my family's go to boba spot. Any where else I'm just like dang should have gone to Happy Lemon. They're located pretty close to the campus on Shattuck (very poppin' area) so parking might be hard to come by, but folks are usually in and out of spots so I've never not had a place to park. The staff is friendly and the drinks always come out in less than 5 minutes. Inside (during non covid time) has tables for hanging out but it does get pretty warm in there so I've never stayed too long after getting my drink. The salted cheese is so good, it's more the idea of how cheese is an ingredient in a cheesecake, not a pizza. Every flavor I've tasted here has been great, but I usually go for the classic milk tea. Glad this place is only a 12 minute drive from my house, I'll be back soon! read more

Tea shop was clean for the part. Not too crowded for being so close to the college. One down fall, is the limited options of flavors available. Came in for a Thai Ice tea and surprisingly they didn't have the flavor; and it's a pretty common flavor... FYI- bathroom seems to be out of service quite often here. read more

Happy Lemon - Mango Green Tea w/ mango boba & Jasmine Green Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Review #043 - 2018 I wasn't going to write a review until I actually visited more than just once, but I think their drinks are worthy of a good review. I ordered the salted cheese green tea and at first, I thought it had a weird taste. It was salty, thick and foamy--that was before I mixed it, because I wanted to know what the cheese flavor tasted like by itself. After I mixed it well, it actually tasted pretty good. It's actually an acquired taste. Would I order it again? Probably not since it's not something that I enjoyed to the point where I'd drink it more than just for the first experience. My good impression is more towards the smell of their green tea. It was very aromatic & left a taste that makes you want more. You can definitely tell that it's quality green tea. My son had the green milk tea with boba and he said he liked his as well. My only gripe is that parking here is definitely limited. After circling around multiple blocks a few times, I decided to just send my son in to grab our drinks. If you do decide to drive out here, make sure you have a friend who is willing to run out & grab your drink or come during off hours--whenever that is. read more

Happy Lemon - Very aromatic green tea... - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

A8 the usual. No sugar no ice because "Winter is coming" Parking - what parking? Ambience - Lemon everywhere Noise - Mostly small talks and loud laughs (Asian but Berkeley maybe mixed) Enjoy! read more

Happy Lemon's gimmick is their salted cheese, and I've totally bought into that gimmick. It sounds gross, but it's really more like a slightly salty cream on top of your drink. Think like, salted caramel. That's good, right? That kind of salty. The salted cheese hasn't come anywhere near replacing my addiction to tapioca pearls, but it's a fun drink to try. You have to concentrate on tilting your head back at just the right angle to perfectly mix the cheese and the milk tea. It makes drinking milk tea feel like a game, and that's cool with me. read more

This establishment is one of many boba places in Berkeley, and I really enjoyed the cheese foam black tea with boba. I would have to say this cheese foam is a bit better than the other boba places I have tried that had cheese foam, such as It's Boba Time. It actually mixes quite well with the tea, since this is tea, not milk tea, so I am quite impressed. I will return to this place sometime sok read more

I first tried this place in Taiwan and I really don't get the hype. I always thought the salted cheese was just another way of saying creama and every boba place just comes up with their own fancy name for the same things. Drink: I got the mango with boba and it was ok. It wasn't bad but it wasn't wow I would come here everyday good either. I personally don't like their salted cheese drinks and Happy Lemon isn't really my cup of tea but they're of decent quality and a lot of people personally love their drinks. The boba is soft and chewy and they had some real mango pieces in the drink too. Service: the lady who was calling out numbers was super nice and overall, the workers are pretty chill. Ambience: not too much seating but they apparently have wifi since I saw a guy playing league of legends here but overall a happy and positive environment read more

Okay okay. I'm really really glad to have tried Happy Lemon. Its been a year maybe? Ever since they opened one up in Berkeley I've been wanting to try this place out, but never had the chance until now. The idea is novel. Salted cheese on tea/boba? Like what? Strange. But it sort of works! When I came after a dance workshop around 6PM, the place was crowded. The cashier gave me samples of their top two most popular drinks-- the Black Tea with Salted Cheese and their Green Tea with Salted Cheese. I couldn't really decide and had to drink little sips of both. And when I finished, I still couldn't decide! The Black Tea, at its first initial taste, was amazing! But I realized the Black Tea was kind of strong, and the Green Tea was lighter, and ended up going with the Green Tea because it was lighter (and I generally prefer Green Tea over Black Tea). But the one with Black Tea is their most popular drink! I was a huge fan of the drink during the first half of the drink. I said to my friend, "This is amazing! I'm so happy!". But during the later half, the Salted Cheese became overly sweet (and salty for me). The Salted Cheese is a novelty, indeed, but it just reminds me of the Sea Salt Jasmine you can get at 85 degrees or, really, anywhere. In fact, the Sea Salt is better. Its more foamy, and definetly less salty and sweet. I won't be coming back to Happy Lemon, but my four stars is an acknowledgement of the quality and the idea of their drinks. Their boba is too hard by the way. It is worth trying Happy Lemon at least once, for their novelty. read more

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This is my favorite boba place in all of Berkeley area. It's pretty far downtown, so I don't get to go super often, since it's pretty out of my way. However, when I do crave boba and have time, I always go here. I haven't been adventurous enough to try the salted cheese boba (which I know is bad considering it's famous for the cheese bobas), but I really like the mango matcha. The boba here is really chewy, and I love the flavors of mango and matcha together. It's a pretty thick drink but it's still really refreshing and filling. There are some mango chunks inside the drink, which give it a really great fruity taste. I think this boba place is just really cute, and the lemon numbers they give you after you order is really iconic. Summary: Good quality and flavor teas! Really cute place if you just want to sit and talk with your friends :) read more

My order took 15 minutes and I was the only person there. The options were very limited and with the topping. There were 3 people working just standing talking there. I was met with what do you want when I came up to order. read more

I wanted to venture out some and try the Kumquat Lemon Green Tea. It was different. I have had the fruit before so I thought the drink would be similar. It was tart like a lemon, a tiny bitter like tea, and had a hint of sweet. It was good, but definitely an acquired tasted. read more

TL;DR the cheese is not actually cheese There's a huge hype around Happy Lemon and it seems I'm on the few who are on board. I was skeptical about the cheese, but don't worry, it's not actually cheese. Not sure what it really is, but it seems more like a creamy foamy topping with a tinge of saltiness. I got the black tea with cheese at 75% sugar and 25% sugar per my friend's suggestion. The sweet black tea compliments the saltiness of the cheese. They say drink at 45 degrees for optimal ratio. I prefer mixing the cheese into my drink for a milk tea like experience. read more

The tea was really good but lost a star due to the boba being too hard. We ordered the Ube Puff and Dragon fruit lychee.

Been here a few times and always enjoyed it. It seems like most places that serve bubble tea don't have seating, but this place has little round tables, perfect for a date. Maybe not a double date. Everything made promptly and to satisfaction. read more

Check out Happy Lemon for the salted cheese series! The boba shop serves classic milk teas as well as a unique blend of lemon-flavored drinks in squeezed, tea, and slushy form. When I come to Happy Lemon, I usually order a salted cheese drink in either green or black tea. The salted cheese floats on top, much like an addition of crema or whipped cream, but it's even better because the salted cheese actually adds a lot of flavor and texture to the drink itself. Like a crema, you're not supposed to mix it into the drink, but rather sip it from top to bottom to get a balanced taste of both flavors; it's much like a necessary seasoning to complement the taste of the tea. Drinks are standardly priced ranging from $3.75-$5 (depending on what you order) and service is great. I love that the workers are pretty knowledgeable about their drinks and can make recommendations based on taste/preference. FYI, since this is in downtown Berkeley, parking is difficult! I usually walk or drive there during weekends or night time once meters stop running. If you're around the area, I recommend you checking this place out! read more

Happy Lemon - Green Tea w/ Salted Cheese - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Obsessed! I always welcome more boba shops opening in Berkeley - more variety & more competition bodes well for the boba-obsessed consumer (read: ME) Happy Lemon stands out among other shops in Berkeley for their good variety of drinks, reasonable prices, & consistency of quality. I can get a large milk tea with TWO toppings (crystal boba & pudding for me) and it only comes out to $4.50....most other places would probably be north of $5 for the same order! Each time I've been here, the service is friendly & pretty fast. You can watch the progress of your order on a TV screen but the font is TINY. Like all other locations, you get a Happy Lemon token with your order # while you wait - it's a cute idea but I actually find it kind of gross knowing someone else's hands have held the token before. #germaphobeproblems I guess??? Parking is close to impossible for this location at any time of the day. I'd suggest walking or taking Bart (Downtown Berkeley station is RIGHT next store). read more

First time trying happy lemon ever and I'm hooked! Had to make it to FOUR different locations all over the Bay during my weekend trip it was THAT good. Milk Tea with Cream Puff is my favorite, next best would be the Milk Tea with Salted Cheese. Really need to try more of their stuff but those two are SOOO good. Thank me later! Their boba is also the right away of sweetness and it's chewy, tastes fresh. You also get to dictate the level of sweetness and the amount of ice you'd like in your drink. Out of all the locations we visited I feel like this location made it the best out of the rest but all equally amazing. They also have a loyalty card. PLEASE PUT ONE IN VEGAS!! read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Finally trying Happy Lemon after seeing all the hype! We came around noon on a Friday and it was empty, which was nice since I was expecting a line due to the recent grand opening of this location. I ordered a matcha latte with tiramisu salted cheese. It was weird at first because I was unsure about the tiramisu and matcha flavors together but after a while I enjoyed it. The chocolate milk with tiramisu salted cheese was a more safe combination but my favorite was the milk tea with Oreo and tiramisu salted cheese. Make sure you drink salted cheese drinks through the lid and not a straw! I'm not sure how this would work if you ordered both toppings and salted cheese but I'd probably just stick to a drink and salted cheese without any toppings to avoid that issue. Definitely recommend! read more

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Happy Lemon Tea is no doubt a Taiwan phenom. tried a salted cream sample, interesting taste. Salted Tea, is the only new item. boba tea, milk tea, tea, all the same. drink: green tea with salted cheese (3,75), no sugar, no ice -tasted just like regular green tea. -had crema on top. was told not to shake it, shook it anyways. -bland flavor. maybe should have followed directions and drank it like coffee. drips: -don't understand this tea. -will wait for next grand opening to rereate. read more

The first time I tried this place it was ok. Definitely a new experience. Tonight I decided to come with my friend as well as order some to bring home for my family to try. We got in at 8:45, waited 10 minutes to be helped with out order, which was fine because you could tell they were busy. My friend orders her bubble waffles and once she's done I step to the register to order mine. When I start my Order with my moms bubble waffle I'm cut off and told "we don't have time to make any bubble waffles" to which I responded, " my friend just order some not 1 minute ago, we're standing next to each other, but I can't order any?" I received a "I'm sorry it's just too late" so I told her "that's fine I won't order anything". She then takes the next peoples order. Guess what they later left with... bubble waffle. Which they ordered after me. I have a large house hold and was fully excited to spend upwards of $50 plus tip, for my family to try these new treats I came across. I won't ever come here again. read more

their famous salted cheese is bomb, but their other drinks are just as good!! 1000% recommend PROS: - salted cheese - salted cheese - salted cheese - next to BART station so super convenient to grab a drink on your way CONS: - long wait during their bogo weekend but it's died down..now max wait is 15 min I've been here 5 times since they opened because I'm becoming an addict so I figured I should write a review at this point. I've gotten their Matcha Latte with salted cheese, Black Tea with salted cheese, and Fresh Taro Milk. All three drinks were soooo freaking delicious! Salted cheese may sound really weird but once you get past that initial hesitation and try it, you realize it's just like sea salt foam except with a tinge of cheese flavor. It's a really good complement to matcha and black tea. Aside from the salted cheese, the drinks themselves were also really good - matcha latte had strong matcha flavors and the black tea reminded me of the ones I would order in Taiwan. If you're hesitant about the salted cheese, I definitely recommend having the black tea alone! The taro fresh milk was also surprisingly really really good - I'm not a big fan of taro but this one worked for me because the milk tasted really good, and I loved how they put actual small pieces of taro instead of powder. Happy Lemon owners - if you're reading this, I am very down to become your brand ambassador because I'm definitely becoming a regular :') read more

Happy Lemon - BOGO grand opening weekend - black tea and matcha latte with salted cheese - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Great classic milk tea. I didn't have any expectations since I knew it was a chain store, but I was very surprised. Creamy milk tea with the perfect amount of sweetness and ice (50%/50%). I must say one of the best classic milk tea that I have had in the Berkeley area. Boba was a great chewy texture. read more

TL;DR: second best boba spot in Berkeley, don't knock the Salted Cheese drinks! I've waited so long for this location to open and it didn't disappoint. Happy Lemon has been one of my favorite boba places for a short while and it still stands.This is hands-down the new best boba shop in Berkeley. I would highly suggest this spot to any person in the area. I would suggest the Salted Cheese Black or Oolong Tea. SALTED CHEESE OOLONG TEA - Don't be grossed out, this cream is a GAMECHANGER - Very light tea - Perfect amount of sweetness at 100% IMO - Drink the tea through the cream first! - Boba texture fine/good At most boba spots, I get less ice. However, when I got less ice at Happy Lemon, the drink felt pretty warm. I would get 100% ice! I can't praise this spot enough. I'm so happy that they opened a location near campus. Even though this spot is all the way downtown, I feel like I'm going to go out of my way from Southside just to enjoy it. I guarantee you'll love this spot! read more

I've only tried Happy Lemon in the South Bay and absolutely loved my experience every time. Every time Happy Lemon is in proximity, I always have to drop by and get some. One thing I hate about downtown Berkeley is the parking. It's never available and the drivers here are crazy. Thankfully I was dropped off. I came here on a Wednesday afternoon and there was only two other people inside, so my service was super quick. I stopped by before going to Davis/Sacramento and requested for small plastic bags filled with ice. The plastic bag law doesn't allow them to carry any, so I was sad. So I had to make do with the car's AC haha. Similar to other Happy Lemons, I was not disappointed in my drink. My regular is of course, the A2. This salty drink is a must! read more

Happy Lemon - Outside of the store. Easy to spot! - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Woo Happy Lemon opened in Berkeley! When my friend told me about their salted cheese with black tea, I was like, gurrl you cray. But now, I must be the cray one cause it is delicious! Their best-seller, Black Tea with Salted Cheese, was what I first tried. It is a bit intimidating seeing a drink with a creamy foam on top. The employees were really nice and told me to drink it at a 45 degree angle to get a bit of the sweetness of the tea and the creaminess and saltiness of the cheese foam. Thankfully, the cheese isn't too powerful and provides a nice contrast to an otherwise normal drink. The cheese foam will eventually disintegrate into the rest of your drink and it reminded me of a slightly salty HK milk tea. I was very pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this drink. I also had a chance to try their hot green milk tea which was, unfortunately, was just meh. It also had a weird aftertaste :/ Get the Black Tea with Salted Cheese! So good... read more

Happy Lemon - Black Tea with Salted Cheese - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Got a medium grapefruit oolong tea with boba in a size medium, super refreshing and light! If you want boba but aren't looking for anything heavy on your stomach, this is the one to get! read more

Happy Lemon - Grapefruit oolong tea with boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Sticky table, uh patrons, please. Staff seemed busy to brush through and clean the tables during busy times. Expect some wait time for your order. They tried to deliver quality, but I felt like my last A1 was watered-down. read more

After hearing all the hype about cheese tea, I had to try it out! The workers were extremely nice and made a sample of tea with salted cheese for me to try. Most boba places don't do this - so I was really happy that they did. They have a sign with their popular drinks so I decided on A2, black tea with salted cheese. You get a cute lemon sign with a number on it for the order. There is also a large TV that shows the progress of your drink. Loved how fruity and colorful the shop looks! black tea with salted cheese: it comes with a lid like those to-go coffee cups. There are posters everywhere that show how you're supposed to drink it. Tilt your drink 45 degrees so you get the perfect amount of both salted cheese and tea. Whoa, what an interesting combo at first. The saltiness of the cheese juxtaposes the sweetness of the tea. As weird as the combination sound, it's amazing! Each sip makes me want to keep drinking. I've also tried the boba milk tea with puff cream, and I'm not a fan. Feels like eating a soggy pasty with milk tea. I'll stick with the black or green tea with salted cheese instead. Give Happy Lemon a try for their salted cheese drinks. The workers are more than happy to make samples before you order. Definitely a refreshing but heavier alternative to just your classic milk tea. read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Smooth milk tea run! I ordered green tea w/ salted egg. Short line, nice employee, and they made the drink fast

Honestly never thought cheese and boba would ever go together. I was a little hesitant to even try it at first but I was SOOO glad that I did. Happy Lemon is now one of my favorite boba spots in Berkeley. My usual order is the salted cheese drink (50% sweetness and light ice) either with black or green tea. The salted cheese is basically like regular crema on boba with a slight hint of cheese. It may sound like a weird mix at first but with the tea, the drink is the perfect balance between sweet and savory. read more

Happy Lemon - Black tea with salted cheese - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I always wondered if Berkeley would reach its max of boba spots, but with this new spot the answer is no. Not that i'm complaining since the boba game has definitely put it's best foot forward. With Sharetea, Ucha, Purple Kow, Sweethearts, and now Happy Lemon the boba scene in Berks is A-1. If you don't know Happy Lemon is known for their drinks with "salty cheese." I know, I was skeptical at first but once I tried it I was surprisingly pleased. It's basically like a crema where it tops your drink and you drink it at an angle. They add rock salt to it so it adds a nice taste to the teas. My go tos are: - Milk tea w/ salty cheese - can't go wrong with the classic - Milk tea w/ puff cream - puff cream sooo good! I get mine w/o the boba since it does get too sweet for my liking - Mango Matcha slushie - tastes more like a mango smoothie w/ a matcha aftertaste. It's super refreshing when you want something different from the milk teas. Since it was opening weekend I totally get the wait times. I think we waited about 45 mins total from when we first got in line and when we got to our car especially since it was BOGO. It was a large enough space, but given that it was designed with the lines in mind I'm curious to see how the location is once all settles down. It is in Downtown Berks so parking can be stressful in the area. I would suggest walking or taking public transportation if you can. ***They also have a rewards system so be sure to get one of their free cards! The cards aren't paper either and feel like another credit card so it's not as easy to lose. read more

First time having salted cheese and it was very delightful! Wasn't overly salty like similar sea salt cream. Who would've known salted cheese goes great with milk teas. Lots of construction going on around this location and street parking can be a little difficult during rush hour but we got lucky today and found a parking spot close to the boba shop (or bubble tea shop depending on where you come from). Sugar level is adjustable which makes the drink customizable to your preferred taste and price is reasonable. I got the green tea with salted cheese (75% sugar) and it was perfect. Would definitely come back when I'm back in the area. read more

Happy Lemon - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love coming here! I'm glad that Happy Lemon's are starting to spread throughout the Bay Area. It might be weird seeing a salted cheese drink at first, but you should give Happy Lemon the benefit of the doubt and check this place out! I usually either get the black tea with salted cheese or green tea with salted cheese depending on the time of day. If it's your first time here I would definitely recommend getting the black tea with salted cheese with 50% sugar and 50% ice! The Boba milk tea with puff crease is also good! It's a bit on the sweeter side so I would recommend getting 25-50% sugar on that one! read more

Ordered their milk tea with salted cheese... super delicious. It is my favorite milk tea place in the area. I have tried almost all the major branch of boba places but happy lemon is definitely the best one! I have been addicted to it :). It has an amazing tea flavor and not to tell that their cheese foam (aka the salted creama in other places) is so flavorful that you can taste their cream cheese and condensed milk all together to make this beautiful drink. read more

I usually don't like boba in the US since they're so much more sugary than in Asia, but was drawn by the cute happy lemon icon and their salted cheese drinks, which taste like salted cream but is super light and not even too sweet at 100% sugar. The staff is super polite--they offered me a sample so I tried the black tea w salted cheese at 100% sugar, which was perfect but since I'm always looking for low/sugar-free options, I got 25% sugar and it was delicious. Then I made a mess and spilled my drink bc it needed to be mixed better. The staff was so nice--they cleaned up my mess immediately and kept assuring me not to worry and even made me a new drink even though I had already drinken most of the one I bought. 5 stars for the innovative boba drinks, super friendly service, cute ambiance, free WiFi and the tv screen that tells you how to drink your salted cheese drink properly so you don't end up w all the sugary bits at the bottom. The bathroom is squeaky clean but that's where they also keep their city compost and garbage bins so just heads up on the compost smell. read more

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Hands down the best boba period. Not in the bay, not in CA, just period. Haven't been able to find a place who is able to match the freshness and ingredient quality at this price point. Favorite is the Passion Fruit Green Tea with Boba read more

We stumbled upon this place after enjoying some lunch at Famous Bao. I am a sucker for a good boba dessert after a meal. Try their salted cheese drinks, it is their specialty. It will really want to make you say cheese. It tastes so rich and delicious that you really have to try it for yourselves. It is hard to describe in words, rather best described as a reaction of consuming the delicious foam of salted cheese. I also like the animation they play on the TVs. I am excited to come here again and enjoy this deliciousness! read more

It's finally here and it's great! Now that Berkeley has amassed even MORE boba places, the competition is fierce. Happy Lemon now conveniently located near Downtown Berkeley BART and is serving up its delightful salted cheese tea drinks. DRINK: Green Tea with Salted Cheese. It's amazing. One may be apprehensive at first, but really, the drink has the cream and the saltiness from the cheese with the ever so slight bitterness from the tea. It's a match made in heaven because these things were meant to be put together. It's not overly salty or cheesy, but the right amount is put in where you think, "was that cheese? I think so and it was tasty so I need another sip" kind of sensation. Overall, a new favorite in Berkeley that stands to the likes of U-Cha and ShareTea. I can't wait to go back. read more

Happy Lemon makes me feel like a happy lemon. Their drinks are so fresh and delicious. I was really excited when I heard they were opening up on Berkeley. I don't have to go all the way down to Cupertino anymore to get my half happy lemon fix. My favorites are the grapefruit yakult and the green tea with salted cheese. The grapefruit tastes freshly squeezed and there's even little chunks of grapefruit in the drink. The tartness and sweetness of the yakult goes well with the bitterness of the grapefruit. It can get a bit sweet since I think they add sugar on top of the yakult, but you can always adjust it to how you'd like it. The salted cheese is thicker than a crema, like you'd get a other boba places. It's like getting a bit of a dessert on top with every sip you take, but the salt and the tea helps prevent it from being overwhelmingly sweet and adds another dimension to the flavors. I feel it'd be more appealing if they called the salted cheese, whipped cream cheese or something along those lines, since i think that's what it actually is anyway. A few drinks that were just okay for me were the mango matcha and the matcha latte with tiramisu salted cheese. I wasn't a fan of the mango matcha because the mango and matcha didn't really go together particularly well. The two flavors were just there in the same drink. As for the matcha latte with tiramisu salted cheese, I just didn't particularly care for the added chocolate flavor on top of the salted cheese. It just tasted like they added hot chocolate drink mix on top. I definitely would recommend Happy Lemon to anyone who loves boba places. They have quick service and it's so close to Bart, so I can keep coming back whenever I'm craving it! read more

Happy Lemon - Green Tea with Salted Cheese - Bubble Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California