Y'all have no idea how much it bums me out that NJ doesn't have many good boba shops. Luckily, I…read morelive in one of the best parts of the state--about 9 miles away from NYC--so I can just hop on a bus and have access to more options! Anyways... I still like to shoot my shot with places around here because ya never know when ya might hit the jackpot. I found BTX Cafe on Yelp. The interior is small and simple, but beautiful! It's bright, with tons of natural light, and has a modern, minimalistic Japanese-inspired design with light wood furniture and neutral colors. There's also wifi and outlets, which is always a win. The menu is a mix of both coffee and bubble tea, with the usual favorites: milk teas, fruit teas, slushes, espresso, and cold brew. Prices are a few dollars lower than most other cafes, which is definitely a huge plus. I'm not into overly sweet drinks. I prefer a very strong tea flavor, so I order mine with the lowest amount of sugar possible and light ice. The staff is friendly, and they make drinks pretty quickly. What I tried... MILK TEAS: Pearl Milk Tea ($5.25) Oolong Milk Tea ($5.25) These were a big thumbs down. They were wayyy too milky, and the tea flavor barely came through. I was disappointed. FRUIT TEAS: Passion Fruit Green Tea ($5.75) Mango Green Tea ($5.75) Lychee Oolong Tea ($5.75) The fruit teas were better--refreshing, with a stronger tea base. The oolong was toasty and nutty, and the jasmine green tea was sweet and floral. As for the fruity flavors... I don't think they use real fruit puree like some other boba brands. The passion fruit and mango tasted similar and I almost couldn't tell the two drinks apart. Both lacked that signature tangy, tropical kick and tasted more like artificial syrup. Thankfully, the tea helped even it out. Out of the three, the lychee oolong was my favorite. It was the most balanced! The tapioca pearls were actually the highlight-perfectly chewy, bouncy, and soft. Your taste buds might enjoy their drinks, but mine didn't love them. A bit of a letdown since the prices are lower than its competitors, but maybe that affects the quality. I liked the lychee oolong tea enough to come back for just that. Perhaps the coffee is better? The hunt continues...

This rating is mainly driven by the service. I was excited to try this place when it opened up…read moresince I'm a big believer in supporting small businesses however this experience was quite disappointing. I ordered a cold brew which is my go-to drink of choice at cafes. The man at the counter opened a nearly empty gallon and poured the remains into my cup, filling maybe 1/5 of it (and I'm being extremely generous with that measurement). He then proceeded to pour water the rest of the way and dumped ice in it. Even with that, the cup was still about a quarter empty. I asked if there was any more cold brew since this was heavily watered down. He tells me they were out. I knew he was lying since who runs out of cold brew at 10am on a Tuesday? But even if that was in fact true, he should have told me they were out at the beginning rather than trying to scam me. Nobody waters down cold brew 80%+ of the way. The matcha latte which I also got for my wife was also watered down although not quite as egregious though that may have been because I commented on the cold brew. One sip and my wife told me she's had better elsewhere too and she does not have high standards when it comes to drinks. I won't be back and recommend you go somewhere else. Plenty of options nearby, even Starbucks is a 3 minute walk from there and a much better choice.

If you're looking for a unique dessert spot in Rockland, Robins Creamery is absolutely worth the…read morevisit. The combination of ube and matcha is unbelievably creamy, smooth, and rich without being overly sweet. The ube has that perfect nutty vanilla-like flavor with a deep, authentic taste, while the matcha is earthy, bold, and balanced beautifully. Swirling the two together makes every bite even better. What really stands out is the texture it was light, fluffy, and silky soft serve that melts perfectly. The flavors taste fresh and premium, not artificial at all. The presentation is also gorgeous, making it almost too pretty to eat. The cozy atmosphere and friendly staffs make the experience even better. They also serve bubble milk teas, Dubai chocolate cup and more!! They even have a pretty mirror to take picture with

I'm giving Robin's Creamery another try after two very different experiences here…read more My first visit was five stars. The flavors were excellent, everything tasted great, and the cones were big and solid. My next visit dropped to three stars because service was painfully slow with only one employee working, and then we discovered that our cones had hollow centers. So we came back and gave them another chance. This time, service was speedy. There were three people working, everyone was friendly, and we got our orders quickly. The ice cream tasted great all around too. But... the products are still inconsistent. Two people had the ube cones, and those were solid. Three other people received hollow centers in their cones and cup. It's just disappointing. Everything was also extra soft this time. The ice cream was much meltier than what we've experienced here before. Not bad tasting, just noticeably different. So yes, this visit was better. Much better service and great flavor, but we still didn't walk away feeling the same way we did after that first five star visit. At $9 per cone, I think they need to deliver a more consistent product. The flavors are good and there's clearly something worth coming back for, but when the experience can vary this much from visit to visit, it's hard to justify that price.

Really loved Village Tea Shop and already miss it. Their beverages were delicious and they had…read moreexcellent service.

I have been visiting this boba shop since it first opened around 2016. The quality of the drinks…read morehere has been consistent over the years and I like all the drinks I've gotten here. My favorite is the mango milk tea and the jasmine green milk tea. Their drinks taste very fresh and light, especially their fruity drinks. I've found some boba places can sometimes have an artificial and syrupy taste when it comes to fruit drinks but that is NOT the case for this place. I would definitely recommend this place. Service: 3/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Drinks: 4/5

they have a reward system which i love. everything is amazing and esp their nutella taiyakiread more

5/5 for Dalgona Brown Sugar Bubble Tea!!! The dalgona candy melts in your mouth and the drink. It…read moregives the drink a toffee like, buttery taste. I will drive down here just for this boba. Only wish I had ordered a large LOL. 5/5 Taiyaki, though it is very different from the cakey Taiyaki from Japan that I've had - it actually is made with a flakey almost croissant like exterior. Loved the custard cream as well. Made to order. 5/5 Service - the people working there are all super friendly and nice!!! I'm so happy she gave such a good lunch recommendation for us to try as well. 3.5/5 Walnut Pastry - was a bit dry, much better when taken home and air fried, though. This is more like the taiyaki in Japan (cakey exterior, red bean filling) with some walnuts inside and shaped like a walnut! Pretty fun to try.

Love this hole-in-wall K-food treats! They offer well-made Korean comfort food like kimbap, corn…read moredog, cup-bap (rice bowls), tteokboki (spicy rice cake), udon, etc. The corn dogs are so wonderfully crispy with juicy dogs on the inside. Mango Tango smoothie made of yogurt tasted both healthy and sweet. Its a small joint with some limited seating and tables and mall parking for quick visitors and great Korean catering options for bday parties. Not easy to find a place like this here so really appreciate it!

I have been coming to Sopoong since it first opened, and its one of those rare finds in this area…read morethat keeps me coming back. Having tried mochi donuts from other several places, Sopoong remains my favorite in this area. My friends and family also agree - it's hard to beat the delicious flavors, perfectly chewy texture and the freshness of their donuts. These mochi donuts have become a stable for many of my celebrations. The owner truly goes above and beyond to ensure every order is perfect. On one occasion, I was delayed by traffic and couldn't pick up my order before closing time, she waited for me to show up even though the store was already closed. Just absolutely the best customer service ever. Their flavors switch up every week which keeps things exciting and if you have a special request, they are happy to accommodate with advanced notice. If you are on the hunt for delicious mochi donuts, look no further, you're in for a treat :)

In the grand scheme of things, Poke Nalu is schemed quite grandly. In the heart of the heart of…read moreChestnut Ridge does lie this fresh, filling and fair Poke local - Adding to the ambiance of the affluent and occasionally arrogant area. With an eye for talent, LB dispatched himself deep into the depths of talented Woodcliff Lake. Did I go to hang out, outside of Whole Foods for a reason of semi-treason? Or did I specifically snipe this spot out of thin air, to claim it as my own? You decide. As many who know me know... I'm in a Poke mood, all the time. Hey Jude. Bell my ham at home - World Cup stuff, topical. Keep up. Unfortunately, I was behind the poke game. Me, LB. Behind. Although for a gentleman, maybe I arrived right on time. Ladies led this trend years ago. This is why Women's Suffrage was so necessary. This sole reason. Yes. Fine. Sue me, and get back in the line. I've got creditors and legal teams that know the back of my hand better than I know myself. And that begs the question. Do I know myself? Life moves so fast when you hit a certain age. Like a slippery slope, and I'm wearing my skates. Olympic level in my downhill slalom, ofc I be flying... but at what cost. Am I still who I once was? Have I changed - or have I adapted? Things must change for them to stay the same. Anyways my coaches used to hurl insults at me. When they weren't disparaging me and my love handles, they'd often say "Keep your eyes peeled... and your bananas." Electrolytes. Very important. Anyways... I do more than keep my eyes peeled. I keep them watery, I keep my pupils dialed, I keep them mysterious yet enticing. Ever since I welcomed my mahalo self back from The Big Island I've continued my search for dem Ono Grindz in the northeast. Poke Nalu fits into the category. Does it compete with the eliteness of it straight of Hawaiian islands? Of course not you scheckler and how dare you ask me that question. What do I thy look like, a senseless beast? Alas, does Nalu do more than a serviceable job? Absolutely. This stuff is legit baby gal. So curl up in a ball, and lay on my lap. I brought you another gem. And gems ain't cheap, even though the market says they should be otherwise. Imagine paying $10,000 for something currently worth a third of that? You feeble minded numbskulls make me wonder... and wander miles and miles and miles. My feet ache. My knees quake. My hips bake. My pelvis... for goodness sake. Poke Nalu. Great pricing. Great portions. Great customization offers. Very very tasty. Great fish. No complaints, and a lot of approvals. Don't know many places that provide this many protein options and allow you to double up at protein for each portion selected. I'd like to think the typical server who builds my bowls remembers me by now. I'm dashing. I'm courageous. I'm curious. What's not to remember? Idk. I guess you'll have to ask her - But she knows better. She knows better to reveal Linguini. Truth be told I'm more likely to reveal myself here. I'm averaging once a month here and that's being kind. If you so by chance enter my cycle of reoccurring restaurants, you must be doing something right. That is simply a fact and that kindly leads me to the end here folks. Be kind to yourself today and tomorrow you can be even kinder to another - Linguini B

Unfortunately, this place let me down. The quality was superb, I will say. Absolutely fresh and the…read moremango was incredibly fresh - was shocked by that considering how it typically is at other Poke spots. The reason for 2 stars is the portion size. For the extra cost to add basically anything to the bowl, they were incredibly stingy on the fish. Coming from NYC, this was a letdown in comparison. Paying $20 I expect more than a half scoop of fish.

iGrill is currently my favorite place to eat in Rockland county. I travel a lot for work and have…read moreeaten at many different places in the area but find myself always wanting to come back here for more. Not many restaurants cook with love, but iGrille certainly does and it is consistent. I love the food and the people. 10/10 If you're wondering what my go-to is, it's the Salmon Poke Bowl with Jasmine Rice

One of my colleagues orders here every week, so I had to give it a try. I ordered two Aloha bowls…read moreonline and picked them up easily. There's plenty of parking, and while the outside of this small strip mall looks sketchy and run down, the inside of iGrill is quite clean and updated. It'll cause you to pause when walking in. The food was tasty, but the value for what you get here didn't impress me. There are simply better places around where you can get rice bowls with chicken, or salads with chicken, and each of those comes with all sorts of fixins and veggies. Plus, more protein in the bowl too. Again, everything tasted fresh and good, but there's just better value elsewhere for me. I was pleased to see no credit card fee!

HAPPY NATIONAL BOBA DAY (4/30)! It only feels right to update my review of my go-to spot in the…read morearea. NJ doesn't have many great boba places, which is why I'm EXTREMELY grateful to have Tsaocaa nearby. I'm a regular, and the drinks are consistently amazing. I'm pretty picky--I only like drinks with a strong tea flavor that really pulls through. My biggest pet peeve is when they're too milky, overly sweet, or taste artificial. Tsaocaa absolutely nails it! The tea to milk ratio is ON POINT! One sip in, and I could tell they use high quality, premium tea leaves and fresh fruit ingredients. This is one of the few places that truly gets both milk AND fruit teas right! Over the past two years, I've worked my way through a good portion of the menu. You really can't go wrong with choosing any drink! There are so many options--milk teas, fruit teas, slushes, fruit mojitos (non-alcoholic), yogurt slushes, you name it. It's the perfect mix of classic staples and more creative flavors. My top two favorites are: *Passion Fruit & Lime Tea - Get this if you want something refreshing, tangy, and tropical. I get it with no sugar since the fruit already brings a natural sweetness. And they actually use real passion fruit seeds! *Brown Sugar Black Milk Tea - The black tea is strong and slightly bitter, but the creamy milk balances it out. They don't go overboard with the brown sugar--just enough to give you little sips of sweetness. *King of Milk Oolong Tea - I don't usually go for oolong tea, but this one's starting to win me over. I absolutely LOVE the deep, roasted flavor. I order mine with less ice and either the lowest sugar level or no sugar at all. The baristas hit the mark on the sweetness levels and make it exactly how I want. When you order 30% sugar, you really get 30%. For the true tea lovers, I recommend 30% or none at all if you really want that bold tea taste. The tapioca pearls are addicting--soft, chewy, and not crazy sweet. Their pearls have a natural amber brown color since they're made from sweet potato, without any added syrups or dyes. Most boba elsewhere is made from cassava root and then dyed artificially. Yes, it's on the pricier side--but I am SO willing to pay for the higher quality! They have a rewards program, so if you collect enough points, you can score free drinks! There's a lovely barista who's almost always there--she makes my drinks just right and quickly every time. I do wish there were more seating though. It's a small store with just a table and a few stools at a counter. They do have wifi if you're thinking of getting some work done. This location also has a full menu of popular Vietnamese dishes like pho, lemongrass grilled pork, vermicelli bowls, and banh mi. I've tried the banh mi, and honestly, I'd skip it. Stick to the bubble tea here! Tsaocaa is a must try for all boba lovers! Get your sip on! They even have a 1000mL bucket size! *eyes emoji* I have to limit myself to one drink a month... or I'll end up with a 9-month old boba belly.

Oh man, I so wanted these drinks to be a hit…read more Here is what we ordered in 500ml: - King of Oolong Milk Tea with boba - Sakura Oolong Milk Tea As soon as we saw the drinks we were like oooh no, why is it white? My son insist I taste both of them first. I put on a poker face because I wanted to see his honest reaction too. After he took a couple of sips he said, I don't want to finish it. In the trash it goes. I consider myself a hardcore tea lover. There was nothing Oolong about it. Not sure how the lady made it, if it's from powder or actual tea leaves but we absolutely could not detect any tea flavor, mostly water and sugar and the lingering aftertaste was NOT PLEASANT AT ALL. It was a long drive for us to get here. Do I regret it? No, because I am always willing to venture far for a boba tea experience. Can't win them all. I don't know if the high rating is for the drinks or the Vietnamese food they serve here. Tsaocaa is a chain and I will not be giving this one another chance. The first thing my son and I did when we got home was brush our teeth. Positives... - Friendly service. - The drinks are not as pricey as other boba shops. - I got to see how beautiful Englewood, New Jersey is. One star rating for the soft and chewy boba.