This place used to be one of my favorite spots for taiyaki and omusubi, but recently they've been a real let down. The past two times I went there craving one of their food items, they told me they were out of rice and the next time they told me the chef wasn't there. Both these times were in the afternoon. Even before that, I used to go here all the time on the weekends after 7pm because that was when they started serving taiyaki. However, one random day I went there one of the cashiers told me they no longer served taiyaki and that they didn't know when they would bring it back - if ever. That was the main thing I got there! Then, a few months later I came back and they had 3 different options of taiyaki. I never know what to expect when I go to Oko Cafe and that worries me. They have been inconsistent with me since I started going there 2 years ago. On the bright side, they're food is tasty, but I would call ahead to make sure they actually have it before I go there. read more

I noticed a lot of people come here and always wanted to try it. I think I should have come pre-covid b/c the place is not as lively as before. The boba tastes about as good as any other base level boba shop although the option for honey boba or black sugar boba option is a plus. Bamboo charcoal frozen lemonade was definitely unexpected, but I guess my expectations were deflated when the boba was not homemade like Wushiland boba or OneZo. Maybe I just need to try it more to understand the place more. I am not sure if they are selling desserts right now. read more

My favorite drink is the Mojito with green tea it's sweet and light good drink for a hot day

It was really interesting over the past couple of months; the establishment has changed over time. At the beginning the service was really quick, but for the last months, they've been really slow. About 4 times, I have waited close to 30 minutes for my drink. One of which was an incorrect drink. My friend also revealed to me that during one of her visit, the person in charge secretly cursed under their breath about my friend because they had messed up on her order and she had asked them to fix it. So not only are they slow, some of the workers are rude. Big no-no. I don't appreciate that. Stars went down for this business. read more

I don't really like to give reviews to restaurants, unless i've been there a couple times, sat down and tasted the food, drinks, specialities, etc, but i had to, i've had enough. I've been to this place 3 times already and even though this store advertises that they sell Taiyaki (red bean bun shaped like a fish) i've never been able to order it. The 1st time I went, they only sell it on Fridays and Saturdays? 2nd time, they were done for the day (sold out) and the 3rd time I had to wait 20 mins cause the grill wasn't ready. At least warn customers, put a sign in the front or something so that I don't have to waste my time coming here with the expectation that i'm going to eat taiyaki! The drink:So, the 3rd visit here, I was already full from lunch (and no taiyaki) I decided to get a drink. I wanted the cold drip coffee, but the cashier said it takes about 15mins for it to be ready...really? shouldn't you have a batch already made for people that want to order it? So decided to settle for a coffee milk tea. I didn't like it. It tasted bitter, and the milky part kind of overpowered any taste of coffee in the drink. I'd rather get my coffee milk tea from tea station. All in all, i'd really like to give this place another chance, but 3 strikes and you're out :( read more

Oko Cafe - 'Sumo' Coffee milk tea...bleh - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

Holy Moly... So i originally really didn't like this place. I'm still not the biggest fan because their boba is just "alright" and it gets really loud here. HOWEVER, this time i went, they had these potato crisps for $1 each...so one of my sisters from church bought us like ten and we devoured them like vultures. It was super greasy though. That is all. Cool story bro.. read more

Neat concept, unique space, and not a bad experience overall. No problems waiting for more than 10minutes for an order even on a Friday/Saturday night around 8pm. Great idea to have a sweetness percentage rating system (25, 50, 75, 100). Anything past the 50% point is really too too much. Cute handwriting/occasional drawings on the cups. Not so sure about the sumo burger challenge and the movies/music videos playing on the TVs. Snack-wise, there's quite the variety to choose from outside of the ramen and burger in terms of fried items. Interesting, however, to have the ramen wall with the various choices you can order, but it doesn't really help that nearly all of them have the "sold out" post-it. Drinks Tried: 1) Rose Milk Tea Smoothie, 50% sweet (recommended) 2) Taro Milk Tea, 50% sweet (not recommended) 3) Matcha Milk Tea, 25% sweet (recommended) 4) Red Bean Smoothie, 50% sweet (recommended) Parking is free in the lot outside, and prices are decent ~$3-5/regular cup. If in the area, this is a stop since the next nearest dedicated bubble tea place is far far away and in LA traffic, make that FAR FAR FAR away. read more

Oko Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

This place changes its menu like you change your underwear Oko is always adding the NEWEST things to their menu, and that's ok, but sometimes it's falsely advertised. Like there will be a sign, but they won't be serving it that day or its "coming soon" I think it's cool they want all the cool items there, but a limited amount of stuff would be better especially since they take forever to make something. Good drinks either way, but rather go elsewhere for snacks read more

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Great drinks and variety of drinks & sizes to choose from. There are El3 different types of honey boba ( honey, okinawan honey & Sakura honey boba) flavors to choose from. Seems to always take awhile for drinks to be made. The salsa & jazz music is awesome but hella loud. It is just blaring. Mind you there were only 4 of us waiting for our drinks. Turn down the music, please. I would say make the drinks faster but I wouldn't want my drink tasting blah bc they're rushing... read more

I frequent this place weekly! The Honey Milk Tea at 50% sweetness is my absolute favorite. FYI, the SUMO size is MASSIVE. Only get it if you really mean it! The wait can be a little bit longer at times, but I don't mind with places like this that care a lot about how they prepare their products. I have tried their burgers before. Again, SUMO sizing the burger will give it three patties! THREE. The combinations they have are really fun too. I think I got mine with an egg on it and special yellow sauce. I shared a plate (yes, a plate) of garlic Parmesan fries with my boyfriend as well. Definitely share it. Trust me. One last thing: when you are paying on their iPad, read carefully when you come to the receipt page. This page allows you to email or text message yourself your receipt which will also give you a stamp on their virtual stamp card. read more

Oko Cafe - Store hours and kitchen hours. - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

SUMO SIZE ME. Wait, what? Yes, sumo size me! You read it! I came here unexpectedly because my boyfriend's cousins took us here to grab some drinks. Ok, the sumo size me is out of this world.. $5 for half a liter, wow. My boyfriend and I got bubble milk tea while one of his cousins got honey dew, I forgot what the other had. It tasted good, wish they had small boba though. But nonetheless, you can't beat it for its price. One star removed because they. took. forever. Maybe they make it fresh? I don't know. We were the only ones in there so I'd assume. The only thing I'd warn you is that it makes you want to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes to take a #1. I don't know if that's just me but I felt like that it was the same for everyone. But at the same time, I didn't drink the entirety of it in one sitting.. it took a couple hours to finish the whole thing. read more

Oko Cafe - Sumo size me! - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

Come here for the okinawan black sugar boba! The girls are nice, friendly, and patient if you can't decide what you're in the mood for. They make their drinks to your specifications: I always order mine half or lightly sweetened. I recommend the lavender milk tea half sweet with extra boba. The boba itself is smaller in size than normal boba but makes up for its size with its flavor. I haven't been able to swing by later in the day when the kitchen is actually open (around 5p I believe), so I could try one of those cute fish treats. Enjoy #nomsohard #comefindme #bobamasta read more

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Yummy!! A friend recommended this place and glad we tried it! Yummy milk tea & taro milk tea (seriously perfect!) and goodies as well! The young girl at the register was very thorough in answering our questions even though the line was building up behind us, I greatly appreciate that! They're known for their black boba balls.. I think it's called oko? It's basically a little more of a healthier choice then reg boba and is infused with minerals. I does taste different, the consistency is different as well but I don't mind it! The husband on the other hand prefers reg boba. The drinks are served in cool cups of you order out of the 2 largest sizes, kawai or sumo. We ordered popcorn chicken to quench the little munchies we had and it did its job! Garlic parm is what we went for- you pour it in and shake it yourself! We're definitely coming back to try more yummies & goodies!!(: read more

Oko Cafe - Kawaii & sumo size! - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

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i've been coming to oko cafe ever since it opened and seeing the growth of this cafe is very nice. they have expanded their menu by so much from boba, to ice cream and also burgers. i've never had the chance to try any appetizers or food but the boba they serve here is never a hit or miss. it's always the perfect chew to it and it's never too soft. i've been to many boba places and sometimes the boba is too soft or chewy but oko's boba is always served well. i'm currently obsessed with their wintermelon milk tea. it might be too sweet for others but i like my milk tea sweet so i find it good and would recommend if you like sweet milk tea. the customer service is good as well, the employees are very nice and interactive. only down side about this place is the bathroom, it's not that great lol. read more

Oko Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

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I only had boba here, but it was the largest sized boba drink I've ever had. I ordered the Sumo sized drink. It was pretty good. The over all theme of the restaurant was sumo wrestling, so that's why they call their largest drink "Sumo" I haven't had any of the food at this place, but I've seen other people order food. I also noticed that when you order one of the largest sized ramen or burger they enter you into a contest. Basically, a timed contest where you can finish you meal n a certain amount of time. One time I saw someone finish ramen in the allotted time and then they were given a sheet of paper to write on that was then posted on the wall. I guess the prize is just bragging rights... read more

Oko Cafe - Sumo SIze Boba - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

I've always heard about Teppan 360 and have given it a try! Walking up towards the store front, I noticed poster ads typed on the glass which led me to an impression of a typical boba place, but it was far off. The decor is cute. I would described it as warehouse industrial meets an Asian coffee house. There are a good amount of chairs and tables which flows well with the entire place. I had to have the SUMO SIZE because it was enormous and it was my first time! I usual can hold my own with large drinks but this one took me a while but I have no complaints. I took it home, washed it out and used it to keep my makeup brushes! I also got a MOFFLE sample with longan honey and it was yummmmy! I could not stop saying MOFFLE the entire night! It was just SO cute to say and the little mochi waffle was so tiny and cute! They also brew their coffee on a separate bar from the kitchen. They use coffee siphons which was interesting to watch. It is definitely a process and the equipment is beautiful! It beats a boring, bulky coffee maker! This wasn't a bad place to go after getting some Ramen across the way! read more

Their boba tastes great! I've tried other local boba spots but this one is my favorite so far.

My favorite Boba Spot of all time. I've tried about a dozen different flavors and they always satisfy my taste buds. I'm thankful they've been able to remain open during Covid, they have been able to maintain social distancing and having the option to order online makes it so much easier to order. They give you an estimated them to pick up your order that way you can just drive over and pick it up. They messed up on my order once and they were so sweet they ended up remaking it and giving me the largest size. They show love to their customers and I appreciate that! I recommend: their Thai tea and matcha smoothies with honey boba of course! read more

Average cafe. Has some very interesting menu and drinks. However, their is an employee who's very rude. Only downside, probably end up dealing with an attitude to order your drink. read more

Oko Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

First time trying this boba place and it's the best in Gardena !!!!!!!!!!!!! I went at 3:30 and it was happy hour where you get the biggest size they have for $5 you can't beat that price. everyday they have happy hour 3-5pm this is my new boba spot ,I got the mango peach boba smoothie and it was really good can't wait to go back another day and try out new flavors they have and other items in the menu , you will be amazed with the art they have it's very cute ! I also like how you can get star points to get a free drink love it !!! read more

The Sumo Size is hands down the best deal around for delicious Boba drinks, and I like the variety available or drinks and the number of other items available. I do have to say that the speed of the service is not the quickest, which is one of my only complaints about the place. Other then that, I am mostly satisfied and I enjoy the free samples and the sumo videos. read more

Oko Cafe - Honey milk tea with lavender boba. *3* - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

Boba was not done. Very small. Drinks were mediocre. Too many other good boba spots to end up here. Love the Covid protocol though!

Love this boba spot! Out of the many options in the area, there's something about this spot that keeps you as a frequent customer! They have cute and unique decor with a variety of milk tea options that can have their sweetness levels adjusted. Overall 5*s! read more

This review is only for the drinks, since that is all I get here. I usually get the peach milk oolong tea, sumo size. This drink is amazing. I ask for half sugar and they do a great job of actually making it to specification. The peach flavor is in there and isnt overpowering like some places that destroy their drinks with the sugar syrup. The tea comes through and the milk is in perfect mix with the tea. The only knock I have on the drink is that it takes them a while to make it. (not a big deal unless you're in a rush) I dont know why I dont eat there for lunch. There is just an alienating feeling because you hardly see people eating there. I hope this place doesnt change again (since I have been working in the area, about a year ago, its already had 3 different names) The place could be a great drink place, but I feel there is just too much happening. If you want a great asian tea drinks, this is the spot to go to. The price is considered cheap compared to next door's Tea Station. For about $4.00 you get a sumo size drink which in size is comparable to Half & Half's large size. read more

Oko Cafe - Peach milk oolong tea - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

The bf and I had just finished eating at Mottainai ramen which is in the same plaza as Oko Cafe though all the way across from it. Decided to grab some milk tea once more. This time, I asked them if they have any Jasmine milk tea because from their menu, it seemed like they only do the Jasmine green tea and not mixed with the milk tea. They said that they did so I ordered that instead of the almond milk tea that I also love. The only bad thing about this place is the slow service. The register person is sweet but when you've been waiting for 10 to 15 minutes for a drink, it starts to matter less and less. She also didn't offer me a frequency card but when other people came in after me, I heard her offer it to them. When I finally got my Jasmine milk tea, it was perfect. It had the right amount of sweetness, not too watered down either. My only gripe is that they give me the miniature boba, which I don't really care for. I prefer the regular sized boba. I don't know why they'd give me the small one when I didn't request it. Overall, I would still come back to Oko if I had a huge craving for a liter of milk tea! read more

Ordered a simple matcha latte which only comes iced. I asked for less ice and was given such a hard time about the request. The employee -- young kid but arrogant and clearly not customer-service oriented -- kept saying they can't reduce the ice because it is "part of the recipe"...not the case, because if it were pre-mixed the ice would melt. I explained my dental sensitivity issues (which I shouldn't need to do) and told him he could give me less liquid if they thought I was trying to cheat them in some way. We paid for the full price and never asked that they fill to the brim, just light ice. He was NOT polite but made the drink...and couldn't resist as he handed it to my husband that this was an ice exception for "today only". WTH?!! Sad when employees are so stuck on a formula and templates response to customers. And on top of all this they gave me regular milk instead of oat milk as requested and paid for. Waaaay too many great coffee and boba places in Gardena to waste my time or another penny here. read more

OKO cafe provided an excellent lunch experience. I tried the Oko Burger. (Signature burger) along with a coffee smoothie,with the addition of boba. The young lady that took my order was kind enough to explain what the contents of the burger was. My food was ready in under 10 minutes and tastesd great. Try the Oko Burger , the beef patty was juicy and the Oko "buns" (veggies and flour pancakes) were crunchy and flavorful. The coffee smoothie was exactly what I exepected. It was a sweet, but strong coffee. There were some other items that caught my attention. I plan to try these next time. Shaka Shaka fries, Siphon coffee, Tokyo Burger. read more

Oko Cafe - Oko Burger - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

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Me and my Fiancé love the drinks and the options they have at this location. especially the massive sizes they are as well it's great to agree on which OD size to get with out ice to take home and enjoy the next day saves up a extra stop instead of having to go back and forth just for a drink. the fact that they have recently been having different themes almost every 60 days too is very awesome giving the place a new look every time. 10/10 would recommend read more

ive been coming for about 3 years to Oko and i have absolutely fallen in love that i dont even DARE go to other places, the girls here are very sweet and even give you good recommendations when you dont know what youd like, one employee in specific, Lisa, has stolen my heart, she is the sweetest ever and has learned my drink by memory haha! she is the kindest person on earth and actually holds a conversation with you, she definitely deserves a raise! They have immaculate customer service here! anytime me or my friends crave boba we hit up oko, i hope this place gets many TIPPING customers, they truly deserve it! read more

I haven't been to this spot for about 2 years and went I today and I has changed so much. Went around 2130 and it had lots of people compared to years ago. It's much brighter than before. When I usually get boba I get the Thai Ice Tea and this spot has the BEST Thai ice Tea in my opinion. Will be coming back to this spot just to get my Thai Tea. read more

Oko Cafe - Sumo Thai Ice tea light ice,50% sweet - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

This place has amazing tiny size boba. It's freshhh & yummy!!!! My favorite boba spot. ^__^

They take forever, so be ready to wait. When I mean forever...I mean 10-15 minutes even if it's not busy. I think that's completely unacceptable. The only time I will ever go here is if my friends and me just want to kill time and have some boba. Their boba isn't anything special with the exception of their Sumo Sized Boba. You definitely don't pay for quality here, but pay for quantity. I've had the the Taro Milk Tea (Hot and Cold) and various of their regular teas. If I ever get the Sumo Sized I get teas, as a Sumo Size Milk Tea is too sugary and sweet for me. The music tends to get really loud to the point where you're yelling your conversation with the people you're with. Then it gets awkward because the music that plays after the previous one doesn't flow continuously and there's a few seconds gap. During those few seconds, you basically hear everyone's conversation from everyone yelling over the music. They've added more carboard cutouts of sumo wrestlers for people to take pictures. There's actually one where there are holes on the sumo wrestler's nipples for people to stick their head and take a pic. It's quite odd, but funny at the same time. Lastly, they have a variety of ramen noodles. There are always some that run out, but with the large selection you can find a good alternative. Just like the boba, the ramen takes FOREVER. This place really should just be called FOREVER BOBA because that's how long it takes to get your order. read more

It's cheap. When they first changed ownership, I actually liked it. The drinks weren't too bad. They gave you a moffle (mochi waffle) and stuck a straw through it. I never liked the actual boba here, though. They were awkwardly smaller than usual, but not quite mini. Recently though, the drinks aren't as good. They focus on the SUMO SIZE ME (a la super size me lol) and the SUMO CHALLENGE. Sumo size me is just a liter drink. It's huge and it's cheaper than a small, regular sized drink next door at Tea Station. The sumo challenges are as follows: french fries, sumo size boba drink, instant ramen challenge, and a burger challenge. The french fries challenge consisted of eating 3 pounds of fries in 3 minutes. My friend didn't finish it, but it only cost $5 so it was totally worth it. We had 1 minute afterwards to finish all the fries he couldn't eat. I believe the boba drink is 2 liters with a 60 second time limit. And the ramen challenge consists of 5? ramen and soup under 15 minutes. The burger challenge isn't available yet. For all of the challenges, the challenger must keep the food down for another minute afterwards. Then they're free to barf it up, if needed. But they ask that you go outside for your business. If you throw up in the shop, you have to clean it up. They also have sign a waiver LOL They do have a lot of interesting snack foods on their menu. The garlic parmesan fries were actually pretty good. The fries are freshly cut, and not store-bought, which was nice to see. On the downside, however, they took FOREVER to make them. Honestly, I'd say if you want to get a snack, get it here. But get your drink next door. It's probably double the price, but it's totally worth it. read more

This place rocks. They have a decent selection of delicious ice cream and tasty burgers. Oko Café also has bubble tea and other drinks. It caters to a younger high school crowd. The seating is limited as the place is small. Plenty of free parking in the mall lot. I will definitely be back for an after meal snack when I am in the Gardena area for Asian food, like Umemura Ramen down the street. read more

the best boba spot I've ever been to. the boba is warm and it's coated with honey which adds a nice flavor to your drink. My favorite is the Taro smoothie with boba. read more

Takoyaki is so good. Big octopus inside Takoyaki :-) Taiyaki is only weekend night. Takoyaki is everyday! You can feel Japanese Summer festival. read more

Oko Cafe - Takoyaki - Cafes Near Me - Gardena, California

I recently decided to try this cafe after seeing the photos pn instagram. However, I was displeased by the customer service I received from Yen (that's what it said on the name tag, sounds like a made up name). The drink that I recieved did not taste good either, and I would never come here again. read more

Service: Friendly but they messed up my order. Drinks: Pick from 3 kinds of tea (Oolong/black/green), amount of sugar, etc. The drinks are okay. They accidentally put too much ice in my friend's slush, made it impossible to suck through the straw. But the owner apologized and happily remade the drink. I love the moffle that comes with every drink - but they were out during my last visit :( Price: $3.50 for regular, $4.00 large, $5.00 for Sumo-Size-Me (32oz!!). $.50 for boba and other flavored chunks. They also have ramen kitchen (coming soon) & takoyaki. read more

I tried the condensed milk tea boba... to be honest... I don't see how it's different from just regular boba milk tea... but the price definitely makes a difference. I rather go to Tea Station next door the next time... maybe I'll give it one more shot next tim eand try some of the other drinks. The TV screen played some hilarious sumo wrestler commercials... I can't believe how many there were! I sat through at least 3 commercials and they were all pretty ridiculous... ha ha ha... read more

I used to come here many a year ago when it was Gogo Asian Bistro. I came in recently while on my Christmas vacation back home, and despite the new name change, everything seems as it were. My family and I got various boba drinks, and I got a white chocolate mocha with tapioca. The girls making the drinks were speedy. Drink was standard - no complaints. read more