The cashier was super friendly and super patient! There isn't an overwhelming number of items on the menu. Portions are decently sized, and the price is typical for milk tea places. As far as taste goes, the lychee tea w lychee and aloe jellies def fulfilled my craving. I'll probably be back soon! read more

QualiTea - Menu - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Drinks: This drink is soothe perfect summer drink. It's got kumquat and lemon and I describe it as an elevated fruity lemonade packed flavor. The boba is good quality too. Atmosphere: Cozy and decorated. Right now, there's a ton of boxes to block off half of the indoor space due to COVID restrictions. They have couple of chairs out front for outdoor dining. Service: The staff are so friendly! The person who gave me my drink said to let them know if it's not sweet enough and they would add more sweetness. read more

QualiTea - Passion Cooler - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Neighborhood favorite! I absolutely adore this little spot! Some of the tastiest drinks and the friendliest staff! My favorites are the Matcha Blossom, House Milk Tea and Rose Petal Tea (with actual dried rose petals)! The best part is that you can control the level of sweetness, and level of ice as well. read more

QualiTea - Rose Petal - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

So yummy! I always get the Taro Kisses with boba and 70% sweetness and it never disappoints. There's always a place to sit and the cafe also has board/card games available for you to play. It's a calm place to get away for a walk or a break from work. They have a wide variety of options to build your own drink, from teas, to slushees, to coffee drinks. They also have a lot of pre-existing combinations that make it easy to start from! Can't wait to try some more flavors as well! read more

QualiTea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The grapefruit blush was absolutely refreshing! It came with two larges slices of grapefruit and the jasmine tea was strong. The red bean lover was delicious and it reminded me of the red bean popsicles! Highly recommend these drinks. read more

So I haven't stepped into this place since it use to be Philz, but I'm glad it eventually turned into a boba shop. I had the house milk tea at 0% sweet, 50% ice, with grass jelly. This place really does know what 0% sweet means as there it was not sweet at all. Perhaps it's real milk teas that make things a bit sweet? I'm not sure, but I'm glad 0% means really 0%. I wish I subbed a milk alternative instead. Anyways, this place is alright. I've had worse, but I've also had better. There's nothing that special about their house milk tea. It's not amazing or horrible. I'd come back if in the area and would try other drinks. TIP: If you check in on Yelp, your topping is free. read more

SO SO SO GOOD!! my mom got the rose tea and i got the passion cooler!! the rose was amazing with no sugar and boba. i absolutely loved the passion cooler, just sweet enough with 30% and very tangy my favorite!! tu for the delicious beverages :)) read more

QualiTea - passion cooler w/ lychee jelly, aloe vera, and crystal boba! - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The drinks are awesome! They deserve the name, it is really "Qulitea ". This is my first time to try this place, my wife and I loving and probably will come every weekend. The environment is nice and new. The most important thing is the workers are very polite and sweet, able to deliver good customer service that I never had in other boba shop. This is a MUST try place, definitely gonna recommend my friends to come. 10 out of 10! read more

QualiTea - Passion Cooler Deluxe Punch - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was enjoying a late Summer in SF with about 80-degree weather, so I went with the passion cooler, passion fruit green tea so thy citrus juice and mint, and I added jelly. They have me too much ice and too much sweet, given that I ordered little of each, but it was refreshing, although not much liquid after a tall thin cup with lots of ice. The menu has some good variety, but not a crazy menu, which is actually kind of nice. They have a chalk board with a few specials. I expect you'd find something like whatever you're looking for in the boba department. There's a decent amount of seating, but not really enough to make it a sit and work kind of place, more of a sit with friends while drinking your bev kind of place. They have a couple of tables outside. The staff are friendly. It's included in the Castro fest boundaries. I checked in on yelp for a free topping! read more

The name and hype are real... QualiTea serves high quality bubble tea (traditional and newer creations) the most consistently in SF! DRINKS: the standards and base teas (black, matcha, oolong, jasmine) are all fantastic to begin with--perfectly brewed, full in flavor, and refreshing without any of the bitterness of oversteeping or dilution even with milk (looking at you, Metreon Sharetea). I especially appreciate that they carry unsweetened soymilk as a dairy sub! Exceptional in this city :) The toppings are SO fresh, well-made, and well-portioned (relative to drink size). Every time the boba and grass jelly have hit it out of the park. Red bean is great too, and I'm dying to try their red bean (azuki) lover drink! Of the creations, every one I've had is delicious: Matcha Blossom--the strawberry compote is only sweetened to the point of amplifying the strawberry flavor. The matcha milk tea is delicious, and the aesthetics are one of a kind :). Dirty Panda--filling, as it includes the crema on top. Not my thing for bubble tea, but crema fans tell me it's also top notch, and I was surprised to find that I enjoyed the cookies + cream / tea combo more than I would have anticipated :). Taro Kisses--one of my favorites--the taro bits are so fun to eat, and at 30% it's just sweet enough for me to consume everything in one sitting without feeling sugar-sick. Taro Infusion--a bit overwhelming, as it's nearly a taro shake (with the milk). I enjoyed it, but definitely approach with a tummy half-empty. I usually opt for the Taro Kisses over Taro Infusion :). Golden Oolong--yummy, but a little sweet for my tastes. That said, I only tried the mini sample on the entryway table, and it's possible with a sweetener downadjustment that I'd appreciate it more :). SERVICE: The staff are incredibly friendly and upbeat every time I visit, and steer me toward better choices in a kind way (e.g., "if you do 0% sugar on this drink it will taste like nothing")! If you order for pickup on Yelp or Grubhub, be aware that pickup times are based on delivery time, and your drink will likely be ready in 15m. You can always call and ask :). AMBIANCE: Cute cafe (former Sit & Spin cafe) in front of a laundromat. Lovely to sit on the patio on a sunny day. Plenty of board games and activities for people looking to lounge! Max group size is ~6 at their largest table. You can always grab your drink and enjoy it at Dolores or walking down Castro! read more

QualiTea - Roasted oolong tea with unsweetened soy, grass jelly, & red bean! - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's a tiny cute place with refreshing drinks. There was a small line when I went, but it went by pretty quickly. I got the Deluxe Punch which is jasmine green tea with fresh fruit. There was actually fresh fruit in the cup and even a couple of seeds. It was refreshing with literal "qualitea", which I always appreciate. Overall, good but expensive at $5.50 a cup + tax. read more

QualiTea - Deluxe Punch - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Reviewing the Rose Petal: Got it 30% sweet, 50% ice, with oat milk and boba. It was definitely on the sweeter side even for a 30%, but was within an acceptable margin. I couldn't really taste the jasmine base. If you handed it to me and did not tell me it was jasmine green infused with rose, it would have been hard for me to figure that out on my own. On the flip side, the rose flavor was very strong in a pleasant way! Overall, it was a good milk tea; I'd definitely get this again. read more

walked in an amazing smells of waffles and taro being freshly prepared waffle with choco syrup - 4.5/5, no whipped cream :-( rose milk tea with lychee jelly - 5/5 service - 100000/5 shoutout to scott for being so friendly and welcoming, i will be back read more

QualiTea - Rose Milk Tea with lychee jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This has to be one of the best boba spots in SF for Fruit drinks. Me and wife always enjoy coming to this place for boba. They never disappoint. We highly recommend to anyone who loves boba !!! read more

QualiTea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

The boba was really good. The interior is cute and pretty with plenty of seats. The boba was soft. read more

QualiTea - Interior - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is my all time favorite refreshment place and I am SO GLAD to live nearby. Once I was introduced to this spot (thanks cousin!!) I returned 4 days in a row. Since then, I've been back about 10x or so. Ah...more like 15. Here's what I've tried so far and how I rank them. Disclaimer*** I do not like floral flavors. #1- Matcha Blossom. I love this drink so much that I've found various ways to enjoy it. One of which is to simply drink from the top and not mix up the flavors. Since every layer is good, this is a successful method. Another way is to use the straw to drink the fresh strawberry chunks and aim for layers to adjust each sip to your liking. The last is my least favorite which is to mix the entire drink and drink from the straw. Does it all taste the same no matter how you decide to drink it? Not to me! #2- Dirty Panda. I only drink this delicious goodie one way and that is to sip it from the top. No need for a straw because I prefer every sip to have the cheesy goodness on top. This drink is a wonderful alternative if you don't feel like something sweet and fruity. #3- Watermelon...something. Can't recall the name exactly. I've gotten this drink twice and it is ridiculously refreshing. My only complaint is that I finish it within 10 minutes which makes it a short lasting delight. #4- Passion Cooler- Simple, refreshing, and a reliable purchase. This is my cousin's favorite but I prefer something with a little milk in it so would opt for the watermelon if I was feeling like a dairy free beverage. Now getting to the list of my less favorite flavors.. #5 Taro Infusion- I don't typically like taro, but of all the taro drinks I've ventured to try...this one is the best. I don't order this because I don't like taro but I'd recommend taro lovers to do so. #6- Taro Kisses- A bit too sweet and when asked for less sugar a bit too taro for me. I wouldn't recommend ordering this over any of the top 4 I've listed... #7- Rose petal- unless you like floral flavors- this drink is my least favorite. That is all for now! I also love their samples of the oolong milk tea which is divine but I've never ordered it due to the satisfying alternative flavors I'm often craving. I hope their drink prices don't go up...I'm already spending too much money here. =P As for everything else- staff is always friendly and efficient, the ambiance is relaxing and typically calm/quiet, parking sucks but luckily I can walk, prices are reasonable for the quality qualitea (so rightly named!) and there are so many options. My ONLY setback is that every time I drink a beverage, I need to pee at least 5x within the next 2 hours. It's InSaNe how much these drinks work my kidneys/bladder. This has taught me to drink more slowly...but it's a difficult task because they are sooo delicious! Please go...and invite me as well. =D read more

This boba store was recommended to me from my sibling. I've been here twice now and each time, I have had great customer service. First time I stopped by, I didnt realize they were closing soon until after I ordered. The cashier was very friendly and answered all my questions without the usual attitude bobaristas give when you pop in when they're close to closing shop. I guess I forgot to order boba in one of my drinks because the cashier looked confused when I pointed out that I wanted boba in both drinks. I offered to pay for it but she added the topping with no attitude. (Bless you, I'm so sorry for that.) I havent tried their special drinks but I ordered a dark roast oolong tea ($3.75, no toppings) and hojicha tea ($4.75, no topping), both at 30% sweet. This was the perfect level of sweetness both times which is so rare for me! The tea is quite good but not as strong as I'd like it to be. Not sure if it's because they have to mix it with ice which might water down the drink. Hojicha is one of the drinks they have on a little board by the cash register. They dont have prices written on it but I'm assuming that they will be $4.75 unless you ask them. FYI their white peach oolong (this is a teabag) is different than their peach oolong tea (oolong tea with peach syrup). Their rose garden literally tastes like a rose...they sprinkle rose petals on top of the drink! Boba texture has been consistent both times I've went. I'm used to boba having a little sweet taste to it since they're usually mixed with sugar but I dont really taste anything when I eat this boba. Remember to check in to get your free topping. It's only 1 topping free per drink so if you're ordering with a friend, make sure to have them check in too! Will be coming back to try different drinks! read more

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Hello to my new favorite spot for milk tea in SF! Walked by many times and didn't think much so kept walking. Boy was I wrong. I was looking for a spot to chill with my toddler for a couple of hours yesterday to wait for the sun to go down so we could go to Dolores Park. This was minutes away so I decided to give it a try. Tons of options to customize your own tea or coffee based drinks plus they have a decent selection of drinks to choose from. Something for everyone, even those who are dairy-free! I went with the basic with a flare--rose milk tea with crystal boba. Boy was this baby good! So good I'm back again today and trying the taro kisses (not as good but I still enjoyed it). This is a small space but there are a handful of tables inside and two tables outside. You can also help yourself to the cart of board games. My only issue is the LOUD music. It's deafening. It was good background music because we sat outside. I don't think I'd be able to sit through finishing my drink inside though. It's just waaaay toooo loud. Service was friendly and fast. You can input your number to get rewards points towards a free drink. There is not much street parking around here. We parked on Market St and just walked. I'm pretty sure I'll be back here AGAIN tomorrow! read more

QualiTea - Rose milk tea on a hot day :) - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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QualiTea is a boba shop located in the Castro district. Their drinks looked pretty decent on yelp, so I decided to give this place a try. I came on a weekend afternoon and it was fairly quiet. I ordered the "Matcha Blossom" - basically a strawberry matcha latte. Look wise - it's layered and pretty like boba guys. Unlike boba guys, the drink was super water downed and the strawberry puree did not taste like strawberry at all. I can't pinpoint what the drink tasted like, but the flavors did not jell with my tastebuds. The consistency of the boba was too hard for my liking as well. Maybe it was an off day? Who knows but I did not taste the quality at QualiTea. read more

QualiTea - Strawberry Matcha latte - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

A close second to Boba Guys - just one boba snob's opinion. I liked that they had tea samples laid out and they offer the typical adjustments for sweetness and ice. I ordered the Roasted Oolong Milk Tea at 70% sweetness and loved it! I was pleasantly surprised by how big the cups are. I'm usually not a fan of oolong tea but the flavor of the milk tea was delicious creamy with hints of oolong coming through. Coming from someone with very high boba standards, the boba was pretty good - a little softer than I like but still great texture! I'll definitely be coming back to try more tea flavors! read more

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This place was okay! I would come back if I'm around the area, but I don't think I would go out of my way for another boba drink from here... only because there are so many boba spots in SF and this place is a bit further out from where I live. The overall boba was okay. My aunt ordered a watermelon slush and she really liked it because it tasted like real watermelon. I ordered a milk tea and it was okay. I liked it, but I've definitely had better. 4 stars for the watermelon slush! read more

I don't think I'll ever get tired of boba especially when I do food crawls around the Bay Area. The interior was really nice right from the start of the exterior. It's pretty small inside but there's a huge table filled with succulents and plants for decoration. I ordered a grapefruit tea to feel refreshed read more

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Working nearby always has me coming over every other day to satisfy my boba cravings :) This review is for my experience with phoning in my order 15-20 minutes before picking up in-store. I'm very appreciative of the consistency in friendly and prompt service, never making any mistakes on any of my pick-up orders. I hope that streak continues. There's also the Five Star Rewards program too, so claiming a free drink occasionally feels great. Recommended Drinks: -Rose Petal (50% sweet is optimal, really brings out the flower flavor and tea) -Taro Kisses (milk tea) and Taro Infusion (blended) -Passion Cooler (fruity and refreshing, add mango stars or any jelly for fun) -Cheesy Tropical Bliss (choice of fruit smoothie topped with cheese cream) ....just to name a few. :) and of course, the boba is always the perfect texture when consumed within one hour that the drink was made. During this pandemic, I would also like to give this place a shoutout for maintaining decent hygiene practices and keeping the interior clean and welcoming to those who come by to pick up their orders. Thanks, Qualitea! xoxo read more

OK, I don't know about you guys, but I'm all out of sorts with this current situation. With all that's going on, I couldn't be more grateful for the neighborhood businesses that are able to stay open, and keep life as normal as possible. I can't believe I didn't know about QualiTea earlier! I ran into this adorable little spot for the first time the other day, and BOOM! I have LIFE! My walks around the Castro have new meaning! Anyone that knows me will tell you, I'm a super tea snob. I needs my loose-leaf hot green tea every day. Every now and again I can go for a matcha latte. But I just discovered the Matcha Latte with Almond Milk from QualiTea, and I got a new jam! SUPER high quality. The best thing about their Matcha Latte is that you can get it unsweetened. And I just started adding boba - a very generous serving - and it all comes to $4.75 :) Other perks: This spot is connected to the Sit and Spin Laundrymat, which I just discovered is still open (THANK YOU!). Also, there's a bench outside - so if you're alone, at least you can sit for a bit! What can I say....it's the little things in life that matter. Stay safe out there! read more

I honestly never thought I would leave a review for a milk tea shop as most are just.. You know.. Milk tea shops. But this place is an absolute must! First of all you walk in and you're just welcomed into open arms. Super sweet staff who are more than happy to help, you can grab a sample milk tea when you walk in and, even a lil' something for your doggos out there! Best of all amazing milk tea/drinks! Everything tastes so fresh and clean. The atmosphere is gorgeous with real flowers adorning the center table. The walls are wood giving a warm soft vibe. Makes me wished I was living back in SF again! I got the matcha blossom. I seriously cannot imagine anyone who wouldnt enjoy this drink in both taste and visually. If you cant decide on a drink, get this. Service itself is just stellar with good vibes and good people. Love it! Def stop by! read more

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What I liked: - Service was friendly - Customized drink based on preference (sweetness and amount of ice) - Small shop that did not rush my friend and I to leave (we stayed for ~1.5 hours chatting and catching up) - Complimentary treat for dogs What could be improved: - Shop opens at 12:00. We arrived around 12:10, and was told boba would not be ready for another 15-20 minutes. My thought on the drinks: I ordered an original Matcha latte with crystal boba (since their regular boba was not ready yet) ($4.75 with 1 free topping with Yelp check in), and my friend ordered the Matcha Blossom ($5.50). I could definitely taste the milk in the latte, and I want to say it was creamier than what I normally prefer. The matcha flavor was there, but I thought the creaminess was a bit overpowering to the matcha flavor. My friend enjoyed her Matcha Blossom, which had chunks of real strawberries to it. I had a sip of it, and the strawberry flavor is definitely there and definitely a sweet addition to the Matcha drink. I personally really wanted to try the Rose Petal drink, but read from other reviews that it is a sweet drink so I stayed away from it. read more

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Food: I got the Rose Petal with lychee topping. I think the drink was just okay. Price: Drink was 5.25 in total. I think that this price was tad expensive even with inflation going on. Service: Food came out at a decent time considering the fact that there was only one employee at the time Would I come here again? probably. to try other flavors read more

QualiTea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

My girls and I don't hang out as often as we'd like to anymore due to our hectic schedules. And we were so glad we got to meet in this cute boba shop in the Castro in a sunny afternoon. The interior is simple and welcoming and the staffs are super friendly. I got the green tea with cheese mousse creama based on recommendation. It surely didn't disappoint!! (If it gets overwhelmed of which pretty drink to order, consider to ask for recommendation - they know their stuff well!) All three of us are happy with the drinks we ordered, and we really appreciate the nice vibe & environment for some much needed girls talk. Unlike some other places where you can only pick up your drink and go, this place provides the space for work and social gatherings read more

- Matcha Blossom - Deluxe Punch TASTE (5/5): Went here last Sunday and is currently one of my favorite cold fruit tea places (others: Tea Hut, Happy Lemon, Asha). I tried the Matcha Blossom, it was good. But I usually prefer my matcha drinks without fruit. My actual drink was the deluxe punch and I couldn't be more happy with it. It had real pieces of fruit, with boba, and an ample supply of the tea. Previously I tried Tea Hut's fruit tea and was disappointed on how much space the ice cubes took away from the drink. So you can imagine my enthusiasm with QualiTea's version. Also, you can tell this place cares about the freshness of its boba, cause you can taste it. Chewy and not gooey or tough, the boba was just right. I ordered with 50% sweetness. ATMOSPHERE (NR): A few small tables on the side and one table in the middle of the room. Though it's small, I like the atmosphere. I love the wood that fills the interior, it just makes it feel more home-y. SERVICE (5/5): There weren't many people in the store, so I don't know what it's like during peak times. But really nice and friendly workers. DOWNSIDE: Though it's by a muni stop, I wish it was closer and more convenient to get to. ALTERNATIVE: QualiTea's Fruit Fusion Tea & Boba Guy's Stawberry Matcha Latte. Though I would repeat, QualiTea's fruit tea is better :). read more

QualiTea - Inside - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I would rate Boba Guys as 3 Star in comparison to Qualitea. The Matcha Blossom is infinitely better tasting than Boba Guys's Strawberry Matcha Latte. The flavors are so cohesive, strawberry is fresh, and the drink doesn't taste watery. I got 70% sweet (recommended by the cashier) and it's perfect for medium sweet lovers. My only critique is that I'd like the boba to be slightly softer, but the overall quality of the drink more than makes up for it. I'm excited to try the rest of their delicious sounding drinks! read more

QualiTea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Good red bean shake with real red beans (not powder or syrup). PROTIP: If you're getting the red bean shake, choose your dairy (non-dairy or milk), sweetness level 25% or max 50%, add cheese cream topping, then ask them to stir the cheese topping for you. read more

Absolutely in love with QualiTea! I am so glad that I checked out this place because I hesitated at first thinking that it's probably just another boba place. QualiTea is located in the Castro district on 18th Avenue. Unlike most boba places that offer a hundred different drinks, they specialize in about 15 drinks to ensure the "quali-tea" of the drinks. My personal favorites are the Matcha Blossom and Deluxe Punch with boba and 50% sweetness. Matcha Blossom: I love how they use fresh strawberry puree without adding artificial syrup, premium matcha powder, and fresh milk to create the colorful 3-tier drink. It is very similar to the one at Boba Guys, but I find that the strawberry flavor is stronger here and the strawberry bits are bigger and tastier! Deluxe Punch: This is a mixed fruit tea with real fruits inside and I love how they put in passion fruit seeds as well. The passion fruit seeds add another texture to the drink since they are crunchy. I really appreciate that this mixed fruit tea is not overly sweet like most other places, including the Taiwanese famous Yi Fang boba place in Vancouver. Boba: The quality of the bobas is very important to me when it comes to bubble tea. From chatting with the staff, QualiTea makes two batches of boba everyday at 12pm and 3pm to ensure that the bobas are fresh for each customer. Overall, QualiTea is definitely a great addition to the SF boba scene and I already know I will be a regular here! read more

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Came in couple days ago on St. Patrick day while passing by. Place is nice and neat, love their wooden interior design. Ordered the Taro Kisses, Pink Sparkle, Passion Cooler and Matcha Blossom. Taro Kisses was great with real taro on the buttom, definitely need to come back for the Taro Infusiin. My brothers loved the Pink Sprakle and Passion Cooler, something light to chill out a little. The Matcha Blossom is something different, matcha drink with strawberry puree, a little bitter from matcha with a little sour from strawberry is perfect! Drinks came out quick with few people in front of us. Coming back for more! read more

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I only tried the matcha blossom and it was ok. The boba was hella good though great texture and slightly sweet, the chunky strawberry syrup was good as well, but once mixed with the matcha the whole thing has a super light watered down texture and taste.. Definitely not like boba guys read more

QualiTea - Matcha Blossom - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was recommended this place through a friend. They are currently having a buy 1 get 1 free for their soft opening until 3/9/18 The atmosphere is really nice and had friendly service. I ordered the deluxe punch and the passion cooler with aloe. Drinks were good and refreshing. Would come back again. read more

QualiTea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came to QualiTea since Urban Ritual and Boba Guys were closed for July 4th. They have plenty of options available from their house-made teas to making your own flavors. My friend made her own mango boba tea, and I took a sip. Normally, I'm hesitant of making my own fruit-flavored teas since it tastes super artificial, but her mango tea was pretty good! I got the grapefruit jasmine green tea with no sugar, and my other friend got the matcha green tea with strawberry. The grapefruit jasmine green tea was the right degree of sweetness (with the natural sweetness of the grapefruit reigning through). With the matcha green tea, I definitely recommend getting it with ice or else it tastes a little too lukewarm and creamy. Giving this place four stars because it's not going to be my next go-to, but definitely worth a try. read more

QualiTea - Matcha milk strawberry green tea with boba, grapefruit jasmine green tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great boba place! Ordered the Matcha Blossom which is a strawberry matcha comparable to Boba Guys. The little shop looks cute too with lots of seating. Would absolutely come back when I'm in the area again. read more

QualiTea - Matcha Blossom - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I always order them almost every night because I really love house milk tea with boba. read more

QualiTea - I really love house milk tea with boba. - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

My housemate and I have been to Qualitea probably around 50-100 times over the past seven years or so, and I feel like by now I have a good idea of what I would rate the experience. First, if it was *only* the boba I was reviewing, I would say their boba is about a 4 out of 5, which is pretty good. I particularly like the Lime Sparkle, the Pink Sparkle, and the White Peach Oolong Milk Tea, all of which are fairly tasty. I would say the boba is comparable to the quality of ShareTea and slightly less good than Boba Guys and Urban Ritual. It is definitely better than Quickly, BobaGen, and other low quality boba places. Second, it is nice that they have seating, given that most boba places do not. However, I have to downrate to two stars, because recently (including today), I've had two very negative experiences with QualiTea's staff regarding their facilities maintenance and the shared restroom with the laundromat next door. The staff behaved in a really unprofessional manner and basically actively attempted to insult my intelligence and gaslight me when I attempted to report a legitimate problem. The basic problem is that their restroom key does not open the restroom door, and then, does not come out of the key socket, unless you literally know *exactly* how to twist the key in a series of steps that make no sense and that only the employees know how to do to get it to open and closed. I spent literally 3-4 minutes attempting to get the door open both times (1 month ago and today), before asking for help in getting the door opened and the key out. Instead of helping me courteously, as anyone with good customer service would do for a customer of the shop, the staff basically gaslighted me, pretending that I am the only one who can't open the door. They then rudely laughed at me when I asked how the employee obtained the key from the socket, as it was stuck the entire time, and I tried for several minutes to get it out prior to asking. This is completely unprofessional behavior, but skeptical as to how he obtained the key, I asked him to show me how he did it. Well guess what? The method for getting the door to both unlock and get the key out makes absolutely no sense, and yet, they claim that customers would know how to do all of the following, which even the employee who showed me couldn't do about 50% of the time, knowing how to do it already from working there: (1) To open the door, apparently you have to twist the key extremely gently to the left (with normal pressure it won't work), and then nonsensically, twist the key *back* to the *locking* position, all prior to pulling the door handle. If you pull the door handle at any time at all prior to this, it also won't open. How any customer would ever know to do that without being shown is a mystery to me and completely insane. (2) To remove the key from the lock, you have to extremely gently move the key about one single millimeter toward the locked position, but not nearly all the way for some reason, or it won't come out of the lock. Again, how they expect anyone to know this without being shown is beyond me. I am a business owner myself, and I can guarantee that our restroom locks are functional without knowing secret ways of moving the key back and forth to cause it to open and which make no sense. How hard is it for them to install a simple lock that goes back and forth from lock to unlock? Apparently they are too cheap to do so. However, the thing that most angered me about both experiences was the indignation and outright gaslighting that both the laundry room lady and the staff showed me, who both pretended that somehow the nonsensical and complex ways of turning the key above should somehow have been "obvious." I'm a highly-educated professional and if I can't figure out your restroom lock in 3-4 minutes, there is a problem with the lock, not with me, contrary to what the rude male employee at Qualitea stated. The fact that I even have to explain that to people in a customer service business is sad. I'm a lawyer and I would never imply that one of my customers or clients was "stupid" and tell a customer that "the problem was with the customer, not the lock." To do so is extremely rude and poor customer service. The entire experience both today and last month when the same thing happened, really left a bad taste in my mouth about going back here. I am not sure if my housemate and I will be returning or not at this point, even if the boba is fairly decent tasting. In conclusion, maybe the owners of Qualitea should consider getting a simple restroom lock that properly opens and closes without issue. You'd think that would be obvious, rather than having employees gaslight your customers into believing something is wrong with them, when it clearly isn't. If even your employee can't get the key to work about 50% of the time while showing me, when he works there all the time, then clearly it isn't "my problem"--it's yours. read more

Taste: 4 Value: 3.5 Solid tea place located between two sections of the bustling castro area. I got the matcha blossom which seems to be very similar to boba guy's strawberry matcha latte. The tea taste is authentic and had the perfect amount of strawberry puree. At 30% sweetness, it was delicious. Boba itself was on point texturally but could've used just a but more flavor. Without the free topping coupon, this drink runs for $6 which seems very pricey for boba these days. Coupon works on weekends and any hour - gotta appreciate that! read more

QualiTea - Bubble Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California