Whale Tea at UConn is a specialty boba tea shop on or near campus that has developed a steady…read morefollowing among both students and people in the surrounding area who make it a regular stop. I found the space clean and the interior with enough character to make it a comfortable place to sit for a bit rather than just a grab and go counter. The brown sugar boba is the signature item. I tried it and the tapioca pearls were chewy in the way that good boba should be, with enough body that they held up through the drink rather than dissolving into something gummy by the midpoint. The brown sugar flavor came through clearly without being cloying. The broader menu covers fruit teas, milk teas, and slushes with a range wide enough that most preferences are accommodated, and customization options for ice level and sweetness allowed me to dial in the drink to my preference. The ability to order without boba if that is not your thing is worth knowing if you are new to the format. Service was friendly and the staff were welcoming in a way that made the shop feel approachable for a first time visitor. Order accuracy has occasionally been an issue, and online orders do not always get flagged as ready in the app when they are, so checking in at the counter if I have been waiting longer than expected is worth doing. Pricing runs over ten dollars per drink, which adds up quickly for a group, and the shop is closed on Wednesdays, a detail worth confirming before making a specific trip. For boba in the Storrs area, Whale Tea sits at the better end of what is available locally.

This is the Whale Tea that created the boba addict in me. When I heard they added egg puffs to…read moretheir menu, I had to come back. I got my usual oreo milk tea with 30 percent sugar and jelly boba, and it was the perfect treat, as always. I got the matcha egg puffs, and they looked so cute with their little smiley faces! The flavor and texture of the egg puffs was also delicious and standard, but I was disappointed because I was expecting an oozy matcha filling in the center, and, as you can see in the photo I posted, there is barely any filling at all. The matcha flavor was very weak, and I was basically just eating a plain egg puff. It was still good, but I hope their other flavors have better filling or it was just an off batch.

I love tea break! Virtually every time I go to West Hartford I have to swing by this place. I used…read moreto be a pearl tea addict when I lived in the Bay Area. Thank God this place exists for people like me. One time I went outside and spilled my tea by mistake, and when I came back in to get napkins, they gave me two new teas free of charge. They are awesome human beings. I also love that they have really weird flavors like lemon citrus with sour plum and taro and all the good stuff

I'm a bit of a boba tea snob and I hail from South Florida, I'm just here visiting the area. I…read moredidn't expect much from Hartford, CT. I like my boba to be actual tea plus milk and the only sweetness added comes from the boba. So, I was really grateful when I asked about swapping out the powdered milk for liquid milk. They swapped to lactaid, which is my preferred milk for milk tea. They also allowed me to adjust the sweetness and the ice level. I was still skeptical, given the unassuming store front. But they mixed real, actual, brewed tea with the lactaid. Their boba was the perfect size and consistency. I tried their black and jasmine teas and both were perfectly brewed. You'd be surprised at how often people get the jasmine tea wrong, but these guys checked all the boxes. Keep on being your authentic selves, guys!

Not my cup of tea…read more I've been meaning to come to this location to give them a try. Had the opportunity this time around, and decided to jump in. The location is very small. Not a lot of room to order or wait. There's a singular tablet to order from. Ordering kiosk was buggy. Had to select espresso multiple times to get to the coffee and had multiple upcharge prompts. And I guess they just started a Barbie promotion? Because the 4 seats in the place were taken up with influencers in Barbie and Ken garb. Decided to try their pumpkin coffee, because why not? Wait was a little long, but eventually I got my coffee As a coffee location, it's not great. I appreciate they have it, but it's very much a hint of coffee with a sickly sweet combo of pumpkin and strawberry foam. Not the flavor combo that works I get it, it's a boba tea place. Coffee is not its strong point, and it's not right to compare a coffee in a place that deals in almost exclusively tea. Even if I were into tea, I do have expectations. A kiosk that works, expediency in a chain location, and a drink that's not looking to hide any form of bitter in a mountain of sugar. If you really like boba and presenting yourself on social media, then this place could be your jam (or jelly, or boba) for me it's a pass

Randomly decided to go kung fu tea at evergreen walk for a fruit tea that I was craving for the…read morepast couple days now. I got the passionfruit green tea with nata jelly. I didn't really taste the passionfruit, but more so of the green tea. I don't know if the majority of the drink is 85% tea, 5% jelly, and 10% passion fruit. The sweet level was not too bad, usually I tell them less sugar, and the drink still comes out sweet. I think that's what kung fu tea is known for compared to other bubble test shops such as teabreak or gong cha. Thus again is my experience in drinking bubble tea. The location and shop is super clean, the worker was nice, and the vibes are there. The drink was just mid. I have to crave it to just come to kung fu.

Was in the area and stopped by for some boba. My fiancé got his usual brown sugar to try and I…read moretried the strawberry mango yogurt tea. I think the lady forgot the yogurt part because it came back clear but she was hustling the store by herself and I didn't care that much to correct it. I didn't add any toppings to my drink but as she was making it she suggested a few toppings and included them in my drink complimentary to try. I really appreciated her hard work and trying to satisfy the customer! This looks like a fairly new boba shop so it was pretty slow but I don't mind supporting a smaller business. There were fresh strawberry and mango pieces in my tea which you don't get at the main chains! My fiancés brown sugar tasted yummy, and had the salted cream on top!!

Cute small place. I've tried coming here 3 times before and they were always closed so I think they…read morehave really limited hours. Only one worker so it can be a wait for a drink of someone orders a lot.

Awesome boba! Don't judge the fact that it's in a gas station, it's seriously good. I ordered the…read morebrown sugar milk tea and it was sooo good. The boba was soft and chewy. It comes with milk cap then they sprinkle more brown sugar on top and torch it! I gotta take a video next time. Oh yes, there will be a next time.

Cute hidden gem inside the Shell gas station. The 1st time that I visited Sippin' Bubbles, was when…read moreI was craving boba, & wanted to try a new spot. Immediately I was greeted by the owner who was super polite & friendly. He had some samples he let us try, so we could make our decision. They also have a rewards card that can get stamped each time you go. They have so many different options to choose from and sandwiches available as well. I've already returned several times, hasn't disappointed yet.

5is was my first visit and I ordered online to pick up in the shop. I ordered my drink with no ice…read moreand 50% sweet however, when I tasted it, I noticed it had ice and was much sweeter than I'd expect. I wouldn't have cared if it hadn't cost extra to get no ice/increase volume of the beverage. The employee apologized and remade my drink quickly. The flavors and textures were both nice. It's cute inside. I think it would have been nice to have been greeted when I entered the store and asked if I needed any help/had questions about the menu. I love the taro/ube combination and that lactose free milk is available so I'd recommend this shop. I really appreciate the amount of customization on the drinks.

The first day opened, and we ordered at 1144am. It's 130pm, and we're still waiting on our…read morebeverages. We received our food order pretty quickly. Those who complained received their orders quicker even if they were at the end of the number line. There is plenty of parking. The place was, of course, packed, and when we came in, they were working on order 11 and 12. Thankfully, no one was rude to the staff, but the wait is crazy. I may try them again once things are worked out. I'll keep you guys posted on a future review for when I come back.

Very friendly staff. Tons of bubble options. No milk alternatives though. In a very secluded area…read more So don't go alone, but also go with a group, they have tables and games to please. Tad Teas were very sweet, even though we asked for only 50%

It's okay but the drink are extremely sweet and very long wait time. They place has some games that…read moreis very nice and clean.

This is going to be my favorite spot for smoothies. Small, easy access, and healthy fresh fruit.read more

I saw the many positive reviews on Google and decided to try this place on my way to Woodland…read moreGardens. I got the Macarena bowl and the raspberry mint tea and was shocked with how flavorful and ripe the fruit was and how lovingly everything was assembled and packed up. I'm so glad we found this gem! Definitely give it a try!

This is the best boba place in the local area! It has lovely ambiance and their thai milk tea is…read morejust right.

I really enjoyed my jasmine milk tea and my wife loved her fruit tea! The Volcano Thai tea looked…read moreimpressive - purchased for a friend. The decorations inside are beautiful and we had great service.

Great service and great food. Im vegetarian and I love coming here for lunch. The different drinks…read morethey have are all pretty good too, my favorites are definitely the Vietnamese style coffee and the limeade

While on my road trip back from Pennsylvania I had to stop and get gas and fuel my belly too! This…read moreis a small family run place but with excellent food and service. What a cold and windy day and the air is salty and my windshield and coat shows it! Hungry, tired, and annoyed at the salty weather I walk in to a polite young man at the counter who warmly invites me in and tells me I can sit where I please...which I obliged after asking to use their restroom which was clean. I make my way to my table and the restaurant is picking up with more people checking in while there are others already present on the left side of this restaurant and few others await pickup orders. There seems to be just a small number of staff but they are very efficient and attentive. After I sat down I was expecting to be forgotten but nope! The young man walked over with a glass of water for me and took my order. There were so many great options on the menu so it was a task to decide butI did it! For a drink I choose the original milk tea with Boba pearls. For app I choose the grilled betel leaf with meat stuffed inside of it and for my main course I got the Hue's Spicy Noodle Soup. Everything from start to finish was delicious. I enjoyed my milk tea very much and finished it off after my meal. The Betel Leaf rolls are perfectly seasoned. I like mine dipped in Siracha. I ate it all! My noodle soup, OMG, the broth was amazing! Please taste it first before adding other sauces. It deserves to be acknowledged first. I'd drive 1.5 hrs back here just for this soup again. Its a must try. I highly recommend this restaurant. I can't wait to go back and bring my friends and family with me to try other things on their menu. BTW I enjoyed my meal so much I ordered their cold cut sandwiches to take home and share with my family as a treat upon my return home. I didn't get a chance for a pic for them cause I ate it and forgot lol.