If you want dessert, I probably wouldn't recommend this place. I could get 2 boba drinks from lollicup or a few bread from 85 with 7$! I ordered this red bean with sesame ball dessert and they said it would take around 10 minutes for it to be ready. I waited over 30 minutes for them to bring my dessert out and no one else was waiting for an order. Not only was the wait long, the red bean had corn in it!! And it was also flavorless and watered down. The most depressing part is there was only 2 sesame balls!! Over 30 minutes to make 2 balls!! They were also overstaffed and you would think service would be somewhat quicker. Nope. read more

Got the signature special bowl and it was alright. Nothing super special. I went in on a Friday night and it took a while to get through the line and get food. Pros: -Relatively inexpensive -Dessert not overly sweet -Authentic mochi Balls! -Two people can share one bowl Cons: -The wait -No "wow" factor read more

I am obsessed with this place. It is really hard to find legit Taiwanese desserts in the states, but Meet Fresh has filled that void in my tummy. Their shaved ice desserts are so tasty! I've never had a bad experience here. Some of the toppings might look a little strange, but trust me, it all tastes very good. I love their taro balls. They're perfectly chewy and pair so well with the grass jelly and shaved ice. The mini taro balls are cute, but I much prefer the regular ones. The drinks are pretty tasty too. I'm a big fan of the winter melon tea, and it tastes even better with the mini taro balls and/or the QQ noodle things. I have yet to try the hot desserts, but I know I will when the weather cools down. Parking is fairly easy, but Meet Fresh can be pretty crowded. Be ready to stand in line, but the line moves rather quickly. The service is great, and the staff is very polite and friendly. read more

Amazing! First time i came here i fell in love! Such sweet treats and refreshing drinks. I absolutely love the pudding and mochis. Their desserts are genuine and im glad i came here. Winter melon drinks and mochi are my favorite read more

Taste just like the original store in Taiwan Amazing and the environment is nice A bit expansive but worth it! read more

Probably the last time I'll come to Meet Fresh...ran into a very unpleasant experience here and it was because of the staff blaming me for a mistake and wouldn't remake the order. Their dessert isn't bad...but their customer service is beyond terrible. I usually get the Meet Fresh Signature #6, and when I ordered it and received it, something different came out..#6 instead of Signature #6 (I'm pretty sure I said Signature). I politely asked the staff that made the dish, "I don't think this is what I ordered" and they told me to show them the receipt. They told me I ordered what I ordered on the receipt but I clearly stated to the cashier that I wanted the Signature. The staff wouldn't remake my order, nor would he/she say sorry, all they said was and I'm literally quoting word for word "I know the cashier and she's really good at her job. She doesn't make mistakes. If it was a mistake it was on your end." I was in shock...flabbergasted...and really taken back and it's not like I'm asking for a refund (and note that the price for both were the same). Apparently, by that statement, none of their staff (or specifically the Cashier) has never made a mistake and if they did, it's definitely the customers fault (because what's written on the receipt is set in stone). I didn't want to cause a scene but I let it be, however it's the attitude of the staff that just left a really really horrible impression. Both workers, one male and one female, just didn't seem like they wanted to be working there or to even try to fix the situation. It wasn't even that busy when I went with the Mrs. Their tables are also never clean, sticky, and overall just understaffed. I wish the owners would train their employees better, with more customer service and to also keep the place clean. I don't think I'll be going back to this location ever because they'll make you feel like you're at fault for anything they do. Most establishments have the motto - "the customer is always right." Meet Fresh's new motto should be, "the customer is always wrong!" read more

Another over-hyped place in Irvine! Don't expect a Matterhorn of shaved ice like the way it is back in Taiwan from this place. For $6.50, you get a spoonful (literally) of ice with some sort of syrup and your toppings of choice. Eat fast or that little spoonful of ice will melt before you know it! Don't believe the nice glossy pictures of bowls overflowing with bountiful of goodness. You will get half the size of what's pictured. "Signature" taro balls are doughy and not chewy (or the Taiwanese would say.. "Not Q") as it should be. Grass jelly is just a runny flavorless black color jello. Not even a hint of mint/herb. Service is slow; takes forever to get your food. All the ingredients are pre-made and pre-cooked, yet takes their 5+ people staff forever to scoop the stuff along with a small spoonful of ice into a paper bowl/cup (no ceramic bowls) on a slow day - My friend and I were the only customers waiting for our orders. How difficult is it? Overall a very disappointing experience. read more

One of my favorite dessert places to go to. They're open later than more dessert places in Irvine and the desserts are delicious. I usually get the Iced Meet Fresh Signature. It comes with grass herbal jelly, taro balls, and the orange balls with shaved ice under. They also give you some kind of milk/creamer to put on top. Be sure to sign up for five stars so you can accumulate rewards ! They also have deals sometimes that allow you to buy one get one or free drinks. Once you get enough points you can redeem them for free toppings or free desserts! This place does get crowded after dinner, 8-9pm. read more

Meet Fresh - Iced Meet Fresh Signature - Desserts Near Me - Irvine, California

Great place for asian dessert: Here's what I ordered: The Meet-fresh special (cold dessert): Great asian dessert with grass jelly and a bunch of other stuff. It's not too sweet and the ice is shaved to perfection. The taro balls are nice and chewy and the overall dessert isn't very heavy. It's great for a hot summer night! The winter-melon tea with taro balls: I really enjoy this. It's just a light tea that's been slightly sweetened with no bitter notes like jasmine tea. The best part however are the taro balls that are just like tapioca, but chewier. read more

It's great that we could preorder and had a short wait. Desert is tasty, good and refreshing.

Bad service. They messed up my orders and they were too busy to follow up. The waitress just throw me a couple of bags and asked me to pack the things by myself....this is ridiculous. read more

This place was okay for me. Maybe it's the type of dessert that only targets certain groups of people but personally, I didn't really enjoy the taste. I ordered their famous signature one and it was just not I would prefer as a dessert. It was very bland. Everything was so bland. ): read more

Meet Fresh - Desserts Near Me - Irvine, California

Such a unique and cheap dessert place! It's also great for beating the summer heat. My friend and I shared the signature bowl. I've never had anything like it. The grass jelly and chewy balls combination is so good wow. It was super cooling and yummy. The grassy jelly is cold, light, and easy to eat while the yam/taro balls add chewiness and additional flavors. They're so harmonious together. I seriously thought that the grass jelly shaved ice was brown sugar and was really confused for a second. The shaved ice ties everything together. I also really enjoyed the cream that comes on the side with the bowl. An extra cream costs 25 cents I think. My tummy felt so satisfied after eating the signature bowl. I didn't feel like I had to lay down for an hour to rest off my food baby. I'm questioning why I've never gotten desserts from Meet Fresh before. read more

Meet Fresh - Meet Fresh Signature - Desserts Near Me - Irvine, California

This place has amazing grass jelly desserts - they use REAL grass jelly instead of the canned stuff and their mochi and other ingredients have always been very fresh. However, customer service is lacking. They used to give one free creamer per hot dessert, but now they charge .25 which is a fucking joke if your dessert cost $7.00. Also I kept wanting to order the warm temperature grass jelly and they keep insisting I get the hot one. I think they were too lazy to make the warm one. When they made it for me, it was hot and not warm like I requested. Alternatives: Blackball (Rowland Heights): https://www.yelp.com/biz/blackball-taiwanese-dessert-rowland-heights It's not as good, but I get a package of cream and they always allow me to order what I want to order. read more

Rude customer service! Ordered extra topping, kidney bean, $1 extra but when I got home and opened it there is no sight of the bean. If you are going to charge a dollar extra for an additional topping, then add the frking bean! Try calling their customer service, three times, nope, no one pick up. I don't know why this place is so busy all the time. They should be close down for the rude customer service. Person: would you like it hot or cold Me: hot Person: sorry, no more hot Me:... (Why did you ask in the first place) Me: can I add extra topping, the kidney beans? Person: what kind of bean do you want? Me: the " kidney " bean... If is possible to give negative stars, I would do it. read more

I like to consider myself a bit of a taro connoisseur...which is why I know taro is not for everyone, even if ure Taiwanese. With that being said, the taro balls here r legit! Not only that, their taro is done the way it's supposed to be - soft but not mushy. Even the boba here is good. I guess they just know how to make their chewy dessert balls. So obviously I like this place, so why 4 stars? It's like what everyone else complained about already. $7 for a single-serving dessert barely big enough to share? Too steep esp when it's not even half that in TW. BUT, it's the premium u pay to get a taste of home, so for me, I'm ok with it once in a while. 85 Degrees next door charges the same premium and still it is packed all the time. Also, service is horribly slow, but worth the wait if u have the time. read more

Not bad desserts. Line got light at end of the evening so we figured why not. If the line was long I would say not worth the wait. Tried the iced signature. Refreshing. Not as sweet as I imagined which is good. read more

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Yum! Tea was so good. While waiting I saw many yummy deserts leave the kitchen. The wait was not long. The menu is large. Enjoyed a pineapple mango green tea. I'll be back, if I can find parking! read more

My family and I love Meet Fresh. We usually get the herbal blended ice with herb jelly. This comes with or without cream. I prefer it without cream but some of my family get it with cream. I also like the Meet Fresh Signature. The herbal ice is so refreshing and goes so well with the herbal jelly. I like this with the cream, which comes separately so you can put in as much as you want. I always think about trying other things, but I don't want to get disappointed and regret not getting my usual. The mochi here is also soo good. I love it when there's free samples. Delicious. The lines are always long during peak hours... usually out the door. read more

I was in Irvine with a friend and she suggested this new spot that was supposed to taste similar to the real thing in Taiwan. It was pretty packed so my friend immediately went to grab seats while I ordered. After ordering they gave me a buzzer that would let me know the dessert was ready. We had been waiting 20+ min but when the people next to us (who had just sat down) got their dessert before us, I went to the counter to ask about ours. When I asked a worker if he knew how long it would take, he just told me he wasn't working on my order and couldn't help me. I was baffled that he wasn't even willing to ask around. Annoyed by his unwillingness to help a customer, I asked him if he could try to find out and he responded by saying "I honestly don't know and can't tell you either"...?! I've never been anywhere who had employees who were so reluctant to help a customer... isn't that his job?? Frustrated I went back to my seat and flagged down a worker who was walking around. Our dessert came out within 2 minutes. Can I ask what's the point of the buzzer if it doesn't even work? Frankly I was shocked by the lack of customer service. read more

Mehhhhhh. Grass jelly is decent, but their taro and sweet potato are just bland balls of starch. Fresh steamed taro is decent though, Don't get shaved ice to go, the portion size shrinks like crazy. I would come back for either the shaved ice, or their wintermelon tea (no cream). Quite expensive for what you get. read more

I really wanted to like this place, but alas, no. The first time I came, I tried one of their shaved iced bowls. It was meh. For the price, they don't give you all that much, and the toppings are limited (they don't have my favorite pink/white rice balls). Sinbala's shaved ice is much better. So the next time I came, I tried their red bean soup with black sesame and taro rice balls. The picture shows two black sesame rice balls surrounded by a LOT of smaller taro balls. The one I received had no taro balls? What? And the red bean soup was super bland. My mom's red bean soup is much better. I didn't really think you could mess up red bean soup, actually, but I guess you can. And while the two black sesame rice balls were pretty tasty, two is a pretty dismal number (compared to the amount of bland red bean soup they give you), and I can get a whole bag of frozen ones at 99 Ranch that would be just as tasty for a fraction of the cost. Sooooo... yeah. We also tried one of their boba milk teas on that second visit. Except they were out of boba, so we got pudding in the drink instead. The pudding was OK. But the drink itself was undrinkable. It just didn't taste good. Speaking of things they were out of, they were also out of the Q Mochi on that visit. And before you decide that I'm just not accustomed to Taiwanese desserts, I am. My mom was born and raised in Taiwan and I grew up on the stuff. I've also visited multiple times. I'm still on the search to find desserts that are as good as what you can get in the night markets back in Taiwan, and unfortunately, Meet Fresh just isn't. 2 stars because there are still a couple items I'd be interested to try (namely the tofu pudding and the whipped cream tea)... but I'm in no hurry to go back and try them. read more

I LOVE Meet Fresh and the desserts they offer. This is the closest thing to taiwanese desserts I can get in the US. Meet Fresh Signature: herbal jelly, sweet potato balls, taro balls and pour on the cream is divine. I appreciate how it's not super sweet and the balls are perfectly chewy or "q" (if you know mandarin). Prices are a little steep but c'mon it's in Irvine AND you can't get these Taiwanese desserts elsewhere (besides Taiwan and other parts of Asia). read more

Ok, meet fresh is amazing! The almond pudding shaved ice is unreal and realistically eat it, maybe 4-5 times a week. Don't let the long lines scare you, the staff is on point and things move quickly without comprising quality. Love the video they play about how things are made and "smile practice" Emmy is my favorite employee! She is always super friendly, professional and amazing about explaining the menu to first timers because the menu can seem intimidating if you aren't familiar with Meet Fresh. The employees are the heart and soul of the business! read more

Addicted like crack. What is this herbal grass jelly that is layered on top of this sweet shaved ice that tastes like heaven in my mouth?! However, it's quickly ruined if they forget to take the taro balls out. But seriously... orgasmiccccc..... ya dig? read more

So excited to try this new place from Taiwan. It's my new favorite place! Stumbled upon the soft opening Tues night. read more

Meet Fresh - Desserts Near Me - Irvine, California

I absolutely LOVE it here. It can be an acquired taste. When I had the grass jelly shave ice and taro balls for the first time I was hesitant then immediately realized I could not stop eating it. It has a taste of grass jelly. The milk doesn't do much to change the flavor, personally but I still pour it in. Gives a good color. Taro balls are my absolute favorite. Worst.. I'm addicted to the winter melon tea with taro balls $4 but so good. I rather opt for this then boba. read more

Meet Fresh - Desserts Near Me - Irvine, California

Like most of the restaurants or food shops in this shopping center (Lollicup, 85 degrees, SWSH, Guppy House, etc) you can expect to wait in a relatively long line if you want to eat here. We waited for about 15 or 20 minutes to order on a Saturday night around 10:00pm. Finding a table can also be difficult, although people seem to eat quickly and tables turn over often. The food took about another 10 minutes to come out. Meet Fresh has a variety of Taiwanese treats ranging from shaved ice to boba drinks to a whole host of jelly based desserts. The desserts are pretty big, so I recommend sharing if you do come in. I really had no clue about jellies, taro balls, and shaved ice treats, so we just asked for recommendations from the server. She was very friendly and helpful and willing to let us sample before ordering to give us a better idea of what we wanted. All in all, I found the herbal jelly and shaved ice solid and the boba good but still a little mediocre. I don't think that this place quite lives up to the hype, but if I am around another night, I wouldn't hesitate to stop in. read more

Meet Fresh is a great place if you want to hangout and eat simple taiwanese dessert! It's a very popular place at night so I would definitely come before 9pm rush. I got the Taro Ball #6 for the Cold. This was a delicious dessert dish. I think the size of the bowl was decent for one person. I feel you can share if you want to but as a guy I felt like eating half would not have been satisfying. The Taro Ball #6 had a lot of yummy treats inside especially the chewy taro balls and mochi. Overall, the place is a great dessert place for togo or sit down. I would definitely recommend coming back and trying out the other dessert and drink options! read more

Ever since I've tried their Meet Fresh Original.... I've been hooked. I come up to Irvine, from fullerton, once a week to treat myself out for some meet fresh. I promise you, you've never tasted anything like it before. There are other restaurants out there that sell Taiwanese desserts, but I have not tried any location that tasted as good as Meet Fresh. This place got me hooked!! ** Restrooms are spacious, usually clean, and have good smelling hand soap! read more

I understand the new policy of not being able to substitute. But for several times, I ordered extra toppings I want, they were never added. I caught it when I dine in once and the line was not too long. But when ordered to go, there is just no solution. Quite disappointed after being a patron for many years. So basically I am just not getting anywhere if I customize. read more

I'm not sure if it's just because I LOVE TAIWAN and everything that's associated with it...but I'm just not totally infatuated with Meet Fresh like others seem to be. I went here after dinner one day because one of my friends knows I am one of the few people that can enjoy more authentic Taiwanese desserts. After perusing the menu for a bit, I settled on ordering a barley tofu pudding with taro ball (extra charge). It's not super cheap but whatever...I guess it's as close to dongqufenyuan I could get. Let's just say...when I got my order...THEY DIDN'T ADD MY TARO BALLS! And when I when I went up there to ask about it...they gave me like 4 balls...EPIC FAIL. Actually now the more I think about it, the less stars I feel like giving them. I think 3 stars is already quite generous already. The quality of food was nothing spectacular overall okay experience. Anyway, will I go again? Maybe...if my mom wants to go eat Taiwanese dessert. That is all. read more

This place is WAY over-hyped. You can honestly get this herbal jelly dessert elsewhere that's yummier and for a way cheaper price. This place reminds me of Shau May with its cold dessert that includes grass jelly, taro balls/mochi balls, and shaved ice..except Shau May is better. However, the hot herbal jelly dessert is a bit more unique since I haven't had that anywhere else. We had the cold and hot herbal jelly dessert and the cold was definitely better. The cold Meet Fresh signature's ingredients were good, but I don't know how I feel about the coffee creamer... couldn't they add Condensed Milk or Coconut Milk instead? I also wish that it had more shaved iced. The hot herbal jelly was very difficult to eat since the grass jelly was already melted, making the dessert soupy and snot-like. The boba balls and taro balls were very soft and chewy, but the melt grass jelly literally took over the whole dish. read more

I have a huge sweet tooth. And I'm also Asian. So I obviously flock to any hip/new/"in" places that my FB friends visit so I don't miss out on what's "happening". All jokes aside, this place has good food, friendly service, mediocre quality control, and a clean atmosphere (literally). I've been here about 6 times now, and had Taro Ball No. 2, No. 4, and the winter melon tea with mini taro balls. They were all delicious - not too sweet, but just right to quell my craving for sweet things. When we first visited, they served their desserts in these nice ceramic bowls with stainless steel spoons. It was very classy. Then they switched to large paper containers (like the ones you find at Yogurtland) and individually wrapped plastic spoons. The last time I went, the spoons were no longer individually wrapped but just plopped onto our tray. This move was probably better for the environment, but for a company that prides itself on cleanliness and sanitary excellence, this doesn't seem right. There was also one time I cut the inside of my cheek using their plastic spoon. Not really their fault but I thought I should add it just as a warning. Another quality control issue was with their winter melon tea. The one I ordered had no ice. Did the barista forget? Or did it all melt between the time I walked up to the counter? The former is more likely. They also have this customer loyalty program called Belly. You can download an app on your phone or use one of the free key chains with a QR code on it. Three out of the five-six times I've visited, it was not working. There's also only one cashier. Can you add another one before it starts getting cold so we don't have to freeze while wait out in the streets, please? TLDR: Taste 5/5 Service 4/5 Quality control 1/5 Price 1/5 Total 11/20 Good food, but definitely a lot of room for improvement. read more

A friend introduced me to this place when I first moved to OC and got hooked. Even though I don't come here often because finding a parking at this place can be painful and there is always a long line. When I do come, I usually get the Meet Fresh Signature. It's very refreshing and not too sweet, definitely hits the spot on those hot summer days. read more

Meet Fresh - Meet Fresh Signature - Desserts Near Me - Irvine, California

Tried it twice over the weekend after their soft opening, and while the first time was a decent experience, the second was a disappointment. We ordered Herbal Jelly #4 (herbal jelly with taro, red bean, and tapioca) and asked for crystal jelly on the side. First off, the lady at the register punched in our order wrong, and instead of adding extra crystal jelly, she put in extra herbal jelly. We brought it up, so she crossed it off the ticket and wrote what we assumed was extra crystal jelly. Since we got our order to go, we didn't bother checking it on the way out. Once we saw what we got, though, it definitely wasn't what we expected. The cup was basically half empty, and there was no tapioca or herbal jelly at all (and it was an herbal jelly bowl to begin with, which didn't make sense! D:). Basically got a bowl of ice and red bean, with scoops of taro and crystal jelly -- for $7! While it wasn't bad, was definitely expecting a lot more for the price. I'm hoping they get better since it's only been their soft opening, but either way it was a let down from what we were hoping for. Also make sure you check your order no matter what!! read more

I have been to the original store in Taiwan when I visited a few years back and have heard that they opened one in Irvine and decided to give it a try. However this was just a 2 star experience. First of all, the line is ridiculously long, I had ordered it to go, and after I ordered it took 30 minutes before I got my order (total 45 minutes) , ok so this is a weekend and all this wait had better be worth it. I ordered the iced signature , which has the grass jelly , taro and sweet potato balls with cream , this is also what I had when I visited the Taipei location , and I even added extra taro and sweet potato balls for $1 extra, and this was $7 . When I opened it up I was pretty disappointed, there was not much of the taro and sweet potato balls and portion over all is fairly small for $7, I could get a shaved snow ice with the same price but double the portion, and plus the taste and texture of the sweet potato and taro balls were just meh, I have had better else where, this over all just does not hold the candle to the original store, and it costs 3 times more. This place is really nothing special other then the wait and the small portion, it's pure hype, I can think of a few other places I would rather go to for a better bang of my buck. Not impressed ! read more

My friends and I made a trip out just to try this place. We were not disappointed at all! When we arrived there was a line, so we decided to go eat dinner elsewhere first. We came back to the store, no line! It was perfect timing. Ordering is a breeze if you are familiar with this type of dessert. We were handed a buzzer device, when our order was ready, picked it up and it looked so good! We did not wait that long... probably 5-10 minutes and the desserts were ready. I ordered the signature bowl, the grass jelly was fabulous! Tastes just like it does in Taiwan! It brought back fond memories of hot, humid summers and cold, yummy treats. The taro and sweet potato balls are delicious (not too sweet and just so QQ). If you're Taiwanese, or am familiar with the culture, you will appreciate this place. read more

Just ok. We got the red bean soup with taro and sesame balls. It wasn't really worth the 30 minute line but I suppose if there was no line and I was at DJ I would go back again and eat it. read more

Meet Fresh - Red bean soup with sesame ball - Desserts Near Me - Irvine, California

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Delicious desserts but bad service. Accused of not waiting in the right line to order and sent to the back of the line. Very rude. Good thing the shaved ice is so yummy. read more