We bought 3-4 drinks twice a week from this hole in the wall for a couple of years. I noticed the young woman was quite rude recently when I asked for a holder or little plastic bag to carry the cold drinks and am willing to pay for the bag. Today I paid for three expensive drinks and was told it would take 10 minutes. I had my teen to wait for the drinks and ran an errand. Came back to find my teen almost in tear. She could not hold the three drinks barehands as it's too cold and one dropped to ground w/i steps from the shop! They always have a line and the wait is at least 10-15 minutes. Having such a good business but do not care for their customers. read more

i-Tea is good, but it really depends on your preference. If you are into the fruity drinks, then i-Tea would be great for you. If you're into milky drinks, like me, then i-Tea is eh okay. They don't have much options for the milk teas, but they have a wide variety of fruitty drinks and desserts with a lot of toppings! My favorite drink is probably their passion fruit tea with QQ jelly. However, if you were to ask me to go out for dessert, i-Tea probably wouldn't be the first tea spot that will come to mind. read more

I love this place! Everytime I come to the bay to visit, I have to make a stop here. What I love about this place is their toppings. My favorite is milk tea with tofuhua and red bean. So good. However, this place is cash only. read more

i-Tea - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

I was in the neighborhood and saw someone walking around with this tea, and decided to get some. Place is tiny, barely enough room to stand. Prices are cheaper then most places and the sizes are big, or bigger. Lots of tea choices, and I like that you can choose how much sugar you want. I got the hot oolong milk tea. Unfortunately, the tea was barely luke warm. Kind of disappointing and it didn't taste like there was enough tea in it. But maybe I like my tea thick, so I'll give this place 3 stars. Don't forget, they have a stamp card here, so if you come often get one to earn a free drink. read more

Oh why? why? Why i-Tea did you just open after I moved out of Oakland? I would have your boba tea at least twice a week, maybe more. I have liked the teas I've tried. Pomelo Green Tea with Aloe Vera and Winter Melon Green Tea with Coconut Jelly. $3.50 a drink plus $0.50 for toppings is pretty standard. Sugar and ice is customizable like most new boba places now. Shop is small, It's almost like a take out window. read more

Only tried the hokkaido milk tea with boba and tofu pudding. The store seems to have great potential, however, there was a very strong artificial flavoring to the drink that I chose. I will be coming back to try out other flavors, perhaps just a regular milk tea to be safe. read more

A lot of thongs were out when I was there at night - boba noodle, egg puddingd, and many other things. I ended up getting taro milk tea with real taro but the taro was little and the ice were not crushed to smaller pieces. Another one that we tried was the fresh avocado and this was thick and good. I wished they would not run out :( read more

Very good quality tea drinks....not powdery like some others....patience is needed here cause the line gets long....

Ohhhhh the signature milk boba tea. So delicious. I admit I haven't frequented the other boba establishments in town but with i-Tea around, it's like you don't even really have to... this place definitely has my loyalty. So good. read more

Pricing for drinks is average. There's usually a line out the door but it shouldn't discourage you from going in since the main reason for long lines is there's very little standing space inside. It's a place meant for drinks to go. There are one or two tall stools for sitting, but they're more appropriate for waiting for drinks rather than to sit and talk. Ordered the Roselle Green Tea with 30% ice and 50% sugar. I also tried the Matcha Red Bean latte and the Jasmine milk tea, both with the same amount of ice and sugar. I think the 30% ice and 50% sugar is a good general setting to have with their drinks. The Roselle was great! I thought it was perfectly sweet with a bit of tartness. A bit fruity like a peach drink. I thought Roselle meant rose at first, but it's actually a kind of hibiscus, which explains the tartness. But don't expect it to taste like a hibiscus served at Mexican restaurants (in my opinion Roselle isn't as strong). Matcha Red Bean latte was sweet, but not overly sweet. Might have been better with stronger matcha flavor, but not bad this way either. The Jasmine milk tea with boba wasn't very special. Maybe the sweetness level should have been higher than 50%. My brother liked it, but I didn't find it very flavorful. Maybe because I drank my tart Roselle before tasting the Jasmine? Would definitely come back to try more of their flavors! read more

There is almost always a line here. They've got a great selection of teas and add ins. Check in on yelp for a free topping! There is no where to sit inside (well there is one seat) but basically order, then wait outside for them to call your number. Come back often, oh and BRING CASH read more

I've only been here once, but have been thinking about this place lately. Finally a bubble tea place that actually has a good tasting tea and isn't just milk and sugar. I had the sea salt high mountain tea with boba. I loved it. The salted cream was delicious and tasted great with the tea or even to sip alone. It wasn't overly salty, and had a good flavor. I came here at around 1 pm on a weekday and had no line. read more

After I-tea opened, I just kept coming here every chance I got. The almond jade milk tea is one of a kind. I-tea makes the best drinks in the Bay Area . I-tea has taken over! read more

Pros: 1. Reasonably priced 2. Lets you decide how much ice and sugar you want 3. Employees are friendly 4. There is a loyalty program 5. Drinks are made to order 6. They speak both English and Chinese Cons: 1. There is almost always a line 1b. Expect to wait 5 to 30 mins 2. The space inside is tiny 3. Cash Only Other: 1. I miss the fat cups 2. Drinks take 5-15 mins usually read more

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So even though there are a ton of Boba places around, such as quickly, sweet heart cafe, moonstar cafe and a few others, this one in particular, consistently has a long line outside this must mean it's good. I discovered that this is just like a chain Boba place, they have multiple locations, and I have tried the one in Burlingame, I already wrote a similar review, and just wanted to write one about the Oakland location. The only downside for this location is that it is cash only. One of the most important aspects of having multiple locations sharing a franchise, is quality control, and consistency; fortunately, this place has both, their boba is chewy(in a good way) The flavor of the tea is pungent and strong, it is a perfect balance between milk and tea. I don't have much bad things to say about this place aside from the fact that it is a cash only establishment. Come on people! It is the 21st-century, get with the program! other than that, I am a fan! read more

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I-Tea is a really great find in the Oakland neighborhood where mediocre boba places are a dime a dozen. The shop itself is pretty tiny - it is just a storefront with no sitting space but the interior is clean, bright and welcoming. The staff are also really fabulous, super patient, funny and very quick in making your drink. Also, you can customize almost any aspect of your drink. HOW FREAKING COOL IS THAT?! NOTE: THIS PLACE IS CASH ONLY! Drinks-wise, I love their teas, they taste very fresh and are not overly sweet or syrupy like most places. I tried their peach green tea and also really enjoyed the tea aroma that came through. Yum! I have also tried their milk teas and was very impressed - creamy, delicious and did not taste like powdered product at all. Overall, I had a stellar impression of this place and wouldn't hesitate to come back. read more

Perfect balls and great tea! I do find the drinks to be pretty sweet though, and always ask for 0% or 30% sugar depending on what I order. There's quite the variety of drinks and it's definitely a little hit or miss. They also offer a variety of add-ins including boba noodles which are much like the balls I know and love but in noodle form. I had my first krema here and was not prepared for the slightly salty, frothy milk. It wasn't too bad once I got used to it, but the first sip was quite a shock. You know it's legit Taiwanese because they ask you what ice % you want! Keep in mind it is cash only! read more

This is an OK tea place. The few teas i tried were alright... Maybe i just need to try a milk tea, because i always get fresh teas... lol\ the prices are average, the selection is huge. It's only 25 cents more for a large~!!! i love it when places allow you to adjust the level of sweetness and ice. I hate watered down tea! They also have a stamp card! make sure you grab one! the workers have been very nice, and i think how they read the order back to you to ensure accuracy, because chatime has messed up my drinks before, and they looked really mad when i asked for them to change it. only thing that sucks is that this is literally a grab and go place. There is no where to sit and chat. anyways! i will swing by soon! Maybe even today! =] read more

Buy 5 drinks, get 1 free ! :) I loved the drinks here!! For some reason my expectations for this place were low but the drinks I tried were delicious! I got the Jasmine Green Milk Tea w/ 50% sweetness and less ice. The amount of sweetness was perfect for me since I could still taste the tea and there was still a hint of sweetness. My cousin got the same drink but with 100% sweetness and said it was too sweet. I also tried the Milk Tea w/ Grass Jelly and loved that too! For some reason it was the only drink that came in those fat short cups so it was kinda annoying since it didn't fit in any cup holders in my car. The other drinks I tried were the Earl Grey Milk Tea and Hokkaido. The hokkaido was a bit too sweet but it came with pudding and boba! For our last drink (the free one) we asked for their recommendation and got the Milk Tea w/ Tofu & Red Bean. I didn't get to try it since my bf took it to work the next day but he said it was actually really good even though it sounds weird! I'm so glad I tried this place 'cause I think it's my favorite in Oakland Chinatown! Make sure to bring cash! read more

It was a really warm day, and we had been doing a lot of walking. My friend and I saw the long line, and thought, this place must be worth a try. Parking: located on the exterior of Renaissance Plaza in Chinatown Oakland, so good luck with finding parking. We walked, so we didn't have an issue. While standing in line I decided to read up on Yelp reviews for recommendations. Since the first dozen+ reviews that popped up on my Yelp mobile app was how great the Mango Sago is, I decided I would get that. However, then I saw the Mango Slush next the Mango Sago on the menu and asked the cashier what the difference was. As soon as I heard tapioca was in the Mango Sago, I decided on the Mango Slush instead. I believe I paid a little over $3.50 for it. My friend ordered the Matcha Kreama. Not sure how much he paid for it, but since we were both new, he was a little intimidated with the sweetness level and ice level options even though there was a posted chart illustrating the options. Even after standing in the long line to order, we still had to wait at least 15 minutes outside to get our order. Fortunately, my Mango Slush was refreshing on such a warm day. The fruit chunks was an added bonus. However, it would've been better if it was slightly colder. It wasn't cold enough to be considered a slush to me. Also the consistency seemed more like a mango juice than a mango slush. My friend's drink came with a tiny plastic knife taped to the top of his sealed lid. We wondered what it was for since his straw had a pointed end. Was it because we were in Oakland? But I wasn't given a little plastic knife to defend myself, why did my friend--who's a guy--get one? We ended up Googling it, and learned that it's for cutting a slit in the lid in case you wanted to sip the kreama like you might with froth on a cappuccino instead of mixing the cream into the drink. He said that the Matcha was actually pretty filling. Overall, this is just like most standard boba places to me. I wouldn't make a special trip back, and not sure if the long line and wait is worth it. read more

i-Tea - Mango Slush. Would be better if the drink was colder. Was more of a juice consistency than slush. - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

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So I'm going to give this place two separate reviews. First, 5/5 all in for what could have been. I've heard a lot about I tea ever since it opened up in Oakland. Heck, I've seen people rave about the San Francisco location right next to T pumps. Truth be told, this tea bar has a number of interesting drinks. From the kreme drinks to the apple green tea, this place does not stop short of uniqueness. However, I was enticed by the sago tea drinks. A big fan of the little tapioca, is to out of my way for great sago, and I heard much about the mango sago drinks here. Ordered two with my friend and I'd say that it's definitely A+ for what could've been. Why? The drink tasted like I was sipping melted mangos. The sago pieces were amazing and the drink was great. Only thing? There was no ice! With crushed ice, this drink would've been amazing! But unfortunately, it tasted like a mango smoothie that's been sitting out for a long time. I looked at their other drinks and it seems that they shy away from ice. So from pure experience alone I'd give it around 3-3.5/5. However the drink itself and concept were still nonetheless amazing and is hope to comeback to I tea and try their other drinks. Hopefully they'll have ice though! Sink well and prosper, read more

Since last year, there are selections of premium tea come from Taiwan. If order premium tea, it takes 10 minutes since its made to brew. The taste is very aromatic and natural but expensive. Premium tea costs almost $7 versus $3 to $3.50 for regular tea. read more

It's a decent alternative to Chatime a few blocks away. I like the Hokkaido milk tea here, and I've tried some of their fruit drinks as well. All their drinks are crazy sweet (like Purple Kow sweet) so I recommend reducing the sweetness down to at most 50%. Seriously, 50%. This place is also basically just a stall. There's only enough room inside for you to order and then you have to get out so that the next person can order. It's fine if you stand outside though - someone will come outside with your drink and shout your number so that you don't have to shove yourself back into that tiny shop. read more

This place recently opened in the plaza of Oakland chinatown, and i've passed it a couple times thinking "oh just another boba place." But boy was I wrong. I think this is my new favorite boba place! Their teas are all brewed fresh and there are so many different toppings you can get. It may seem a bit pricey, but their standard size is already a large in comparison to other stores. I got the Oolong tea Kreama with white boba and tofuhua. The tofuhua is AMAZING! the perfect consistency and sweetness. Doesn't overpower the drink at all, and you're still able to taste the tofu flavor. The white boba is sweet and the perfect texture. Other than it's color, theres nothing different about it in comparison to regular boba. The oolong tea kreama.. omg. So GOOD! They give you a little knife to cut the sealed top off. You sip on the kreama on top while drinking the refreshing tea on the bottom. Such a perfect combination. Since I've had it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. You can adjust the levels of sweetness and ice here too. That's something my older relatives like since they don't like overly sweet drinks! I can't wait to go back! If you're in the area, give it a try. The only downside is that it's a TINY shop. So order your drink and just wait outside on the street. They'll bring you your order haha. read more

This place is alright. I was excited to try this place due to all the good reviews. I like how they use fresh mango in their drinks and you can see their stack of mango right when you walk in. They do have a variety of drinks to choose from just like Purple Kow including qq drinks and their chubby cups concept. I was disappointed to learn that their regular and large cup size isn't much of a difference at all. I tried the Mango yakult green tea 80% sweet and the fresh mango slush. Don't forget to adjust your sweetness level! I definitely should've gotten 50% sweet with the mango yakult. You can't adjust the sweetness level for the fresh mango slush though since they use fresh fruits. I was surprised to see a good amount of fresh mango in my mango yakult! The mango slush was really good though! I have yet to try the other drinks but they all sounds/looks pretty good. This place really deserves a 4 star but 1 star off is due to their customer service. The drinks takes a pretty long time to make even when there aren't a crazy amount of people. And since it was my first time there I wasn't aware of their stamp cards so I didn't get one. The girl at the cashier never bothered to ask me if I would like one either or maybe I'm too used to other boba places offering stamp cards. On top of all that, they messed up my order. I ordered a fresh mango slush but it came out to be a mango sago. When I told the girl that brought me the drink that it is the wrong drink, she turned to ask the girl at the cashier and the cashier girl kept claiming i said mango sago and was reluctant to remake my drink. I was definitely sure i said fresh mango slush. C'mon sago and slush sounds really different. So I guess make sure you eununciate when ordering and make sure they have your order down correct because I'm pretty sure I was overcharged too but they didn't bother dealing with it. read more

i-Tea - Mango yakult green tea and fresh mango slush - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

Definitely the best boba place that has popped up recently. Both my fiancee and I got a mango drink. Different drinks, but both mango. You can tell they use fresh mango, and they don't go cheap! $5 for a drink, but hey, you pay for quality. Can't wait until the SF one opens! read more

Sooooo good! Come try it! Worth the wait and standing in the long a$* line. Best stuff on earth! read more

i-Tea - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

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My new favorite boba place. The only thing that sucks is finding parking and that it closes early. Mango strawberry fruit tea is so refreshing with fresh fruit. The mango sago is tasty and popular but would be perfect if it was colder. The jasmine green milk tea is good, possibly better than cha time. The boba is the perfect chew. My sister loves the mango panna cotta. read more

My go to boba place now (sorry Chatime)! I'm so impressed with the fresh and variety of teas available here. Their default is a 24oz cup (normally a large at most boba joints), so it's plenty to share or gulp if you're thirsty! I tend to stick with the cremas and regular milk teas only because I can't ween off the originals :) Boyfriend usually gets the matcha smoothie with red beans and also the matcha milk tea with matcha pudding and red bean is also quite delicious. I manage to steal a few sips from him to try new flavors...luckily he doesn't mind hahaha! Anyways, this is a great boba "hole in the wall" if you will. There's always a line, which pretty much sums up how great their quality is. With customizable sugar and ice content, definitely give this place a try and you'll love it! read more

Step aside ChaTime. There's a new and better boba place in town. When i-Tea first opened, I wasn't too impressed with what I got (ice milk) as it was wayyy too sweet. Given that I go home for about 3 weeks every year, I didn't even bother with this place and stuck with my beloved ChaTime. Fast forward a year and I can say i-Tea is the bomb. If you look at my daily check-in for this place, you will see that I'm not lying about my love for i-Tea. Learning from my mistake last year, I stayed far far away from that ice milk. Instead, i've tried the fresh mango fruit tea, fresh strawberry fruit tea, F3 & F4 (kreamas), and mango sago. All of them were super delicious! By now, I expect most boba places to allow me to customize my sugar and ice level, so I'm glad i-Tea allows me to do this. The drinks do take awhile to make, especially since i-tea is always busy, even if it's cold and raining... From waiting in line to drink in hand, I would probably say about 20 minutes each time. The store is super tiny, so expect to wait to order your drink and wait for your drink to be made outside. Also, CASH ONLY! read more

I remember coming here before to this location in Oakland but didn't really have much of an impression to leave a bad or good review. Came by again today on a Sunday afternoon and waited in the long line (approximately 8 people in front of me around 3pm). When it was finally my turn they had a sign by the cashier that said "cash only". I immediately left since I wasn't carrying any cash. I don't understand why this location is cash only when the other locations I've been to (San Francisco, Castro valley, Livermore) all accepted card. I had to dock them on Yelp stars for being cash only where almost everywhere now takes card. The least they could also do is put a big sign on the outside of the store that says cash only so I don't stand in line and waste my time for no reason. read more

I ordered 2 signature milk tea both at 50% sugar and it was perfect. Although it was only 2 drinks it took a little while for them to make. The place is rather small, probably could only fit 6 people max in their little lobby and that's being over crowded with people. Also this place is cash only! read more

So amazing I love it here! Everything is priced so well, plus they have a happy hour. They have pink lady rose tea and popping boba which is my favorite! read more

My husband and I have literally tried almost every single boba place in all of the Bay Area, Southern California and not all but several boba spots in Taiwan and will admit that this I-tea location is by far the BEST. The texture of the tapioca balls are on point (every single time), the milk tea is... PERFECT and I find the service to be decent. Yes, the wait is typically long but I completely feel for these workers taking in person orders, phone orders and making at times 10 drinks per order, may back up the time of how long it takes to get your drink. But I'll guarantee your drink was addicting! It's like they put some addicting supplements in your drink so you think about it all day until you come back for more. Love it!! read more

1 star for customer service, I always come here cause it's near, but sheeeeee the cashier lady's attitude is bad, I always order the same drink, and everytime it tastes different. They get some of their drinks made ready from somewhere else, so sometimes they sell out. read more

Great place, but it's crazy tiny. Barely enough space to fit 6 people. Signature pearl milk tea comes in a pretty big tub. And they give big scoops if grass jelly. Nice that they let you choose sweetness and ice amounts. Service is good. Lines can get a little long and they aren't that fast, but I will definitely be a regular here. read more

Been visiting Oakland from LA for a while now and stumbled upon this great gem! The boyfriend has been trying to find a good boba place near the area and we believe we have found it! Got my favorite, Regular Jasmine milk tea with boba and egg pudding with 80% sugar and less ice ($4.25) and the boyfriend got roasted oolong milk tea with 80% sugar and less ice ($3.75). Definitely comparable to what we usually get in LA. Pretty affordable too! They also have stamp cards available and range from regular to large sizes. Also this place is hella small, with barely any room to stand inside. This place seems popular and gets pack really quickly. You basically order and leave, so get ready to wait in line! Btw, CASH only!!!!!!!! read more

Besides Chatime, this is the best milk tea place in oakland chinatown. I'm in love with their boba, it's just so good..and my fav drink here is Signature Pearl Milk Tea. However, good drinks and workers seem nice & friendly too..which is totally worth to come back! read more

i-Tea - Signature Pearl Milk Tea - Desserts Near Me - Oakland, California

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If I lived in Oakland I would come here all the time. I had the matcha latte with red bean and it was really good. I just wish I had discovered it sooner than the last day I was in town as it would have been worth several visits. You KNOW a place is good when you overhear a person from Taiwan explaining that this is just like it is back home. Be warned that the lines are apparently always long so don't go expecting to grab something and go. read more

Ooooo they finally have agar boba now too, and theirs is crunchier than other places I've been. I like!! Dad likes too! Actually, he's in love with his jasmine green tea crema and I'm greatly enjoying my winter melon. Can't wait to come back! Lost my stamp card from last time :( read more