recently visited Nu Cafe and had a very good experience overall. This is a great spot if you're looking for refreshing desserts and drinks. The shaved ice is light and flavorful, and the boba drinks are well made with plenty of options to choose from. Everything tasted fresh, and the presentation was fun and appealing. The atmosphere is casual and lively, and the staff was friendly and efficient even though the place was busy. It's clearly a popular spot, especially in the evenings. The only reason I'm giving four stars instead of five is that seating can feel a bit crowded at times, and wait times can increase during peak hours. Still, it's a great place to hang out and enjoy something sweet. Overall, I would definitely come back and recommend it if you're in the area and craving desserts or boba. read more

Everyone knows and loves Nu cafe--and for good reason. We got the standard strawberry w/ strawberries on the side and whipped cream/condensed milk. Overall 5/5 read more

Nu Cafe - Strawberry mountain - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

We got the peanut butter mountain sized shaved ice for $9. It was such a great deal given the size and the two toppings. The shaved ice was quite flavorful and the peanut butter flavor was pretty strong. read more

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Yummy shaved ice with quick service! The place has plenty of seating and combinations for your shaved ice. I do wish we were able to get more mango toppings with our shaved ice. Otherwise the mountain size is perfect for two people. read more

Nu Cafe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

Stopped by Sunday afternoon with my nieces and nephew for some dessert and pleasantly surprised to see that there were plenty of seats. This place can get really crowded on the weekends, so we were glad we were able to grab a booth. Ordering is fairly simple as there are little order forms you get at the front. Pick either hill size (one person) or mountain (shareable), then select your ice flavor (1 topping for hill size, 2 topping for mountain), lastly select your syrup drizzle. It can get pricey because it's 95 cents for additional toppings, but overall it was a fun and sweet treat that my nieces and nephews enjoyed! read more

The shaved ice was amazing, it literally melts in your mouth. Tried the taro milk tea for the first time, it was great. The boba not really a fan of it. Def would go again for a light dessert! Def recommend! read more

Nu Cafe - Strawberry with Hersey and m&ms - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came in on a Friday evening around 10pm, place was pretty packed and we got the last seats. Food 6/5: we got the Taro shaved ice with banana, strawberries, mochi and dulce de leche. All of it tasted amazing. Service 3/5: super busy, really slow, took 15 minutes for it to come out Ambiance 2:5: pretty run down looking with metal chairs and dirty tables Value 4/5: pretty good value given how good it was Overall 4/5: I heavily weighed food in my rating since it's purely a dessert place and given the price, my expectations for service and ambiance were lower. Given how good it was, would come back again so didn't seem right to give it a lower rating Parking: massive parking lot that's super busy on weekends and can be difficult to find parking. Don't be the jerk that stops right next to the entrance waiting for a spot and no one else can get into the plaza read more

Nu Cafe - Taro shaved ice with banana, strawberries, mochi and dulce de leche - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

A Chinatown classic! I've been going here for years for a refreshing sweet treat that's great to share amongst friends. You get a paper slip to order and customize your shaved ice to your liking, so it's hard to leave feeling disappointed when there's enough flavors and toppings to cater to everyone's tastes. The last time I went I got the matcha shaved ice with strawberries and Oreos. It's on the sweeter side of matcha but still enjoyable nonetheless. Definitely share a mountain size with at least four people. read more

Nu Cafe - Matcha Shaved Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

If you're in Houston and haven't been to Nu Cafe yet, stop what you're doing and go! Seriously, this place is a gem. First of all, their shaved ice cream is so good it might ruin regular ice cream for you. It's creamy, fluffy, and melts in your mouth like a snowflake of happiness. They have all these fun flavors and toppings, and somehow everything just works. I don't know if there's magic involved, but I'm not questioning it. The owner? Absolute sweetheart. You know when someone is so nice you just want to be their best friend? That's the vibe here. They're warm, welcoming, and make you feel like you're hanging out at a friend's house--except your friend happens to serve incredible desserts. And can we talk about how clean this place is? Like, sparkling clean. You could probably eat off the floor (don't, though). It's also super spacious, so you're not awkwardly bumping into strangers while trying to enjoy your boba. The lighting is perfect--not too dim, not blinding, just bright enough to remind you you're living your best life. All in all, Nu Cafe is the kind of place you'll go back to again and again because it just makes you happy. Plus, who doesn't want a shaved ice cream snowflake of happiness? read more

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Met my husband here. We both love the iced coffees on the menu and love the stacked mango shaved ice. It's huge and can definitely feed more than just the 2 us. It's usually quiet and chill but I've seen this place get busy on the weekends. I've had their fruit smoothie and would say to stick to the coffee/ milk tea. read more

I love all types of ice cream treats so I knew I wanted to give this spot a try! the shaved ice is amazing, lots of flavor and the matcha one is SO GOOD! I highly recommend! My only gripe was the boba topping! The syrup was very sweet and made the dessert a little too sweet for me, so I would recommend not getting the boba topping in ur dessert! I took a star off because the ambience and service was not very good..this place gets very busy easily and as a result it can be a very long wait to get ur dessert! I waited about 20 minutes for mine, it was also just very loud because of the amount of people! They usually shout out your name when your order is ready but it can be hard to hear because of how loud everyone is.. I would recommend going during the day and not weekend evenings as that's when it's most packed! read more

Nu Cafe - Matcha Shaved with Oreo and Boba! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I'm a traditionalist when it comes to shaved ice and have been hesitant to try something that looks more like ice cream. But today was the day! Yes, it's definitely creamier than ice but it still has ice crystals in the smooth texture, so you still get the feel of shaved ice. I was even more intrigued after reading their story on the wall about how all their ice blocks are made of fresh ingredients, not powder. I got the lychee hill with watermelon topping + condensed milk. Great flavor and definitely didn't need the condensed milk. Glad I finally decided to give it a try after walking past it hundreds of times! Want to try more of their flavors now that I know it's all fresh ingredients. read more

Nu Cafe - Lychee hill + watermelon and condensed milk - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

This shaved ice was pretty good and the green tea flavor was exactly was I was hoping for. The boba was very chewy and soft which I loved. It came out so quick too. The ambiance was very family friendly and cheerful. I would come here again for a sweet treat. read more

Nu Cafe - Green tea shaved ice mountain with condensed milk, boba, lychee popping pearls - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

Can't go wrong with a mountain of shaved ice with jelly and actual fruit. went to @nuiceus which is a Taiwanese Cafe serving "Nu Ice" which is a cross between shaved ice and Gelato. we ordered the Lychee flavored with Lychee jelly and pieces of Mango. overall it was delicious, the texture did actually feel like a cross between shaved ice and Gelato. overall a great spot read more

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This is one of those must try places. It is not a shaved ice, ice cream or yogurt. It has a light creamy texture all its own. It comes in a hill size and a mountain size. The hill is big enough for two. They also have Boba teas here. The King Kong is my Favorite. Feel free to ask questions, the staff is very helpful and know this place is different that you may need help with your choice. It can be quite busy but the line always moves quickly. read more

Nu Cafe - King Kong and salted caramel - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Nu Cafe has been a personal favorite for shaved ice! The ordering process is very fast! You'll just need to fill out a small slip to designate and customize your order for the base and toppings. We try there matcha base and coconut based shaved ice with drizzles of condensed milk and mango respectively. I really enjoy the consistency of their shaved ice because it carries a very fluffy, light, and airy texture unlike other shaved ice cafes. The flavor is well imparted and on point. The base flavor is done well and not overly too overpowering so that your drizzle and toppings help highlight the flavors of the dessert in between bites. This is definitely a major standout and I look forward to coming back! As far as room goes, there's a decent amount of tables and chairs that aren't too highly contested. But sometimes you may have to be a little patient on super busy weekends. But this is usually not an issue. read more

Nu Cafe - Matcha with mochi and Oreo drizzled with condensed milk - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I'm amazed at how they are able to make flavored shaved ice. We chose almond flavor with mochi and condensed milk. Ordering was a breeze with a convenient order form to make your selections. The order came out rather quickly as they were quite busy. The ice itself was packed with flavor and went well with the chewy mochi. If you don't like super sweet desserts, I would leave out the condensed milk. I found it too sweet with it on. The thai tea was way too sweet for my liking. I waited for my ice to melt and then it was just right. Overall, great dessert place to go with friends. There are plenty of tables but I can see that it can be quite tight if you go during a busy hour. read more

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Service was decent and the shaved ice hit the spot during a hot and humid day. When we went, there was a lot of ingredients that were out. Hopefully we will go a little earlier next time to avoid toppings running out. read more

Nu Cafe - Lychee Shaved Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Great ice cream!! However tipping culture has gotten so malignant. I ordered just one hill ice cream and was told by my friends that the cashier was calling me cheap for not tipping. There is no service beyond making the ice cream... They don't even bring it to you, they just call the name. Once again great ice cream, but I don't think I'll only he ordering to-go if I ever do again. read more

Do not let the outdated interior fool you, the shaved ice here is amazing. We were recommend this cafe by a friend, but we were a little hesitant upon first glance. The tables were not necessarily clean, and there was only one employee working at the time. There were several parties ahead of us, so the wait was pretty long. Even though you order on a preprinted menu, the employee still has to type up the order, take the payment, and then make everyone's orders. Nonetheless, the shaved ice is worth the wait. We got a mango mountain to share between three people, and there was more than enough. They have a decent selection of shaved ice flavors, toppings, and sauce drizzles. It was so good that we came back a few days later for the milk tea mountain. read more

The staff is also nice and fast. Sometimes the tables aren't clean and it's hard to find a decent one. The nu ice flavors are extensive. I've tried a few and all have been good. Pick fruit when it's in season or it won't be great. read more

Nu Cafe - Guava - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

This place is a great dessert staple conveniently located in the Dun Huang Plaza. Though they've waned a bit in popularity throughout the years as new dessert concepts enter the competitive Houston Chinatown market, they're still a solid fun dessert option. While they offer drinks and other goodies, the star of the show here is their shaved snowflake ice mountains. Here you get your choice of flavored milk ice and toppings. A small is plenty for one or two, and the large for two or three. I enjoy the fact that this dessert is not too heavy, and you can customize the toppings to include fresh fruit for a slightly healthier option. read more

Nu Cafe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

I say this place was really cool and yummy because if you ordered the shaved ice you basically get a clipboard and mark off what you want and just give it to the worker and their boba is fantastic you can get really sweet ones also! And slushes too! The flavor I liked and chose for my first time there was green tea with strawberries and a Nutella drizzle!! Sorry I mainly have pics of the shaved ice already eaten. read more

Nu Cafe - Green tea shaved ice, with strawberries, and Nutella drizzle! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

Best shaved ice cream we've ever tried!!! Great service, this ice cream puts a smile on your palate. Perfect spot for Texas hot weather. read more

Wanted shaved ice and we happened upon this place after seeing good reviews. The store is a little old but it was simple to order and it came out very quickly. Shaved ice was so flavorful and I loved the lychee taste and the toppings was generous as well! I would be back for sure read more

Nu Cafe - Lychee ice with condensed milk - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

The best place to get Taiwanese Shaved Ice in Houston, hands down! I especially like their Green Tea shaved ice, and you can get unique toppings such as Pocky. read more

Nu Cafe - Green Tea Shaved Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

Shaved ice was very good. But a couple of issues. Bathroom was disgustingly dirty. Looked like it hadn't been cleaned in days. Also the workers had no concept of proper food handling procedures. Touching the register and then not changing gloves to make food. Being on their phone and then making food. Any employee who has passed a food handler course knows you can't be touching your phone or the register without changing gloves. read more

Great hangout spot for some dessert, or just something cool to beat this heat. There's plenty of options, though their ice is the big hit here. We opted to try the coconut ice with some mango and popping boba, and it was delicious. I don't know how they make their ice so soft and smooth like this. Maybe it starts off as ice cream or something, but whatever it is, it's incredible. I don't know why we didn't splurge and just go for their mountain size because we demolished the regular. Their drinks are alright - a little too sweet for me but still refreshing. Service was just alright. It came out quick but there didn't seem to be much friendliness behind the counter when we swung by. No matter, the shaved ice made up for it, and it really didn't detract from the experience. read more

Nu Cafe - Coconut ice with mango and strawberry popping boba - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Even though Nu Cafe has been around for a while, this place is still a hit for dessert. This spot has a cool vibe to it with mirrors, open seating, and many lights. Reminds me of the 2000s. If you want shaved ice, just grab a piece of paper and turn it in when you're done choosing what you'd like. The amazing ice cream makers will get it out to you pretty quick. If you're craving something sweet, this place will do the trick! FOOD REVIEW: Taro Shaved Ice (5/5): this is definitely a sweet treat. Taro shaved ice along with the sweet condensed milk and toppings will make you smile. read more

Nu Cafe - Taro shaved ice with condensed milk, boba, and mochi. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

Loved this place! The place is small, cozy, with many tables and chairs for seating. The place itself is clean, with friendly and helpful cashiers. Before ordering the shaved ice, you're given a small piece of paper that gives you flavors and topping options (making it easier and faster to order). They have two options for the shaved ice, which is the mountain size and the hill size. We opted for the hill size, and it was plenty for our family of 3. The medium Viet coffee was also delicious! My only suggestion for the place would be to put the shaved ice in bowls. While the presentation is nice on the plate it's a bit inconvenient. One the ice melts it drips and gets a bit messy. Overall, our children really enjoyed the experience! We will definitely be coming back. read more

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This is a message to the owner. You guys had the audacity to stay open slaving one person for the entire day on thanksgiving. i am not even mad about waiting but there were several families waiting for their orders for over 30 minutes depending on one person to make it and my order was even lost an i had go an tell the worker. You cash hungry dumb assholes dont know how to run a business nor treat your employees with some decency. Been coming here for years but cant support shit owners like this. read more

Craving a sweet treat that is so light, creamy and delicious. Come to Nu Cafe for shaved ice. So many choices to build your satisfying dessert. Grab a mini clipboard and a flower pen to make your selection. Choose a shaved ice base, toppings and a drizzle. Order a Hill or a Mountain (which is a bit ironic for Houston). Love the fruity flavors for the shaved ice. Favorite is Taro. Just the right amount of sweet with a beautiful lavender color. My kids like the mango or mixed berry sorbet. Note: Don't try the durian if this is your first time eating durian. For toppings, add poppers, jelly or fresh fruit. Mango and lychee top our list of favorites. Drizzle with condensed milk or mango syrup to finish. Cute place for shaved ice. So as their to go containers state, " Fill me up, never put me down." Enjoy! read more

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Durian flavor is my favorite thing to have in a hot summer day. The room is super cold already so be careful when you chose the size of your shaved ice. Service is ok. read more

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If you are craving some great ice cream with unique flavors, look no further than Nu Cafe. Their shaved ice shop is in the heart of China Town. I have been to this location probably 3-4 times over the years but I haven't been in a while. Let's just say I was overly excited to return. For the shaved ice itself, you have two options for sizes (Hill for 1 or Mountain for 2). My girlfriend and I decided to each get our own as we have different dessert tastes. I went for the strawberry base with condensed milk and mango poppers. The ice can stand on its own but the condensed milk really adds a lot of flavor to this classic taste. The mango doesn't really mix with the strawberry but I just love the poppers so decided to act up and get it anyway. My gf went for the milk tea flavor with condensed milk and red beans as the topping. The safer choice in my opinion but don't tell her I said that. Anyway, highly recommend this place. Perfect ending to a date night in China Town for anyone wanting to see the real Houston! read more

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Last time I was at Nu was 10 years ago! Great to see the establishment still standing despite all the new-new popping up around it. The shaved ice is deliciously light and airy but flavorful. Array of flavors, toppings, and drizzles to choose from. There's also a nice smoothie/boba menu to choose from. Staff is pleasant and helpful and offers deliver quickly. read more

Nu Cafe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food tastes so amazing that I danced! The music taste has good beats that it makes me tap my foot. The food came out very quick. There was only one other family that was there, but it probably was because it was late. The workers are very kind when you ask a question. read more

Nu Cafe - I got vanilla shaved ice with Mango Poppers and Mango! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

Texas sized shaved ice! Get your brain freeze on in a good way! There is plenty of seating and it's a great value for the portion size. read more

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Big fan of the Nu Ice concept in general as well as their other location on Westheimer. Ordering is pretty easy; you fill out a paper with what you wanted for your shaved ice. I've never tried their boba here but order the same green tea mountain sized shave ice each time. It's consistent and a nice treat for under $10. Parking is available everywhere but it's usually a pretty packed plaza. Interior is clean and nicer than their other location. Like it. read more

Nu Cafe - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas

Get a large shaved ice and 2 toppings are included. Plus 1 drizzle. Go early less lines. A little pricey.

This was our first time trying shaved ice and it was just plain awesome. My wife and I were both raving about how good it was to anyone who would listen. Can't wait to come back and try some more! read more

Nu Cafe - Vanilla milk ice with strawberries and condensed milk - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Houston, Texas