came back to the spot where my husband and I had our very first date. Back then, it was a boba shop, but it has since been transformed into a cozy coffee shop. It was such a fun experience revisiting a place filled with memories while trying something completely new. Everything I ordered was enjoyable! The banana coffee was the standout--it was absolutely delicious and something I'd gladly order again. The strawberry matcha was decent, though not my favorite. The real surprise was the garlic bread: perfectly balancing sweet and savory flavors, topped with a flaky crust that added a wonderful texture. I would definitely come back. The pastries alone looked incredible, and there are so many items I'd love to try next time. And of course, the banana coffee is a must-order! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Banana coffee and a Strawberry Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

A nice spot. I was nearby with my son at a water polo tournament and stopped in for a coffee. Easy parking on this Sunday morning. They had a good vibe and a solid selection, plus food options too. Got my black drip coffee; it was excellent. I also tried a corn silk water, which I had never heard of, but enjoyed it. Service was friendly and nice. read more

A perfect location for a coffee shop, it's a great stop before starting my day. Drinks are solid and the food choices have great variety. Loads of parking, next to an Aldi, and both indoor and outdoor seating. It's not a place you can really walk around outside but it's a nice place to catch up over coffee/tea. read more

Great service and the atmosphere of the shop great it was very calm and inviting. Perfect for pre-coffee experiences I ordered the cream cheese garlic bread and a SO Cold Brew. The cold brew it was really good great flavor definitely a sipping drink. The bread was good also just a little bit more sweet then savory which I wasn't expecting but by overall good concept. There's seat inside and outside which is nice and the parking lot is a good size too considering there an Aldi next door! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Cream Cheese Garlic Bread. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

Service was great and food was good. Ambiance was decent. Matcha was not my favorite tasted a bit grassy :/ Banana matcha 3/5 Food 3.5/5 read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Banana Milk Matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

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This is a such a cute Korean coffee shop. Such cool flavors here. Amazing service. The barista was so sweet and helpful. I got the Sweet Corn Latte and it was amazing! I loved it. read more

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One of my favorite K-cafes! I have visited 2 locations so far and this one is a bit smaller but still a good spot to stay in, they have a pretty good amount of seats. Staff are helpful and friendly. I love trying out new seasonal drinks and I tried their black sesame hojicha drink and it was pretty good! It's different from what I usually drink but I'm sure for my black sesame and hojicha lover friends, you'll love it! Their garlic bread was AMAZING! Love it; will definitely get it again! read more

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This is such a cute little shop! They have some unique coffee and pastries, and there's decent sitting space! The service was really fast, and they warm up the pastries for you~ I was so excited to see corn latte on the menu, and it did not disappoint. If you're a fan of corn, it is a must try! The corn is in the foam--it's a strong corn flavor and balances out the coffee nicely. The Smokin' Spaniard is also a good choice for a light cinnamon coffee. They have a variety of unique flavors for pastries, such as a S'more's scone and an ube scone. The kimchi musubi croissant was a little salty and could have used a little more filling, but the croissant bread was flakey. read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Sweet Corn Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

Was in the area for a meeting and was craving a banana coffee. I saw this place had a banana milk latte. Well, I have to say is was a 10/10! Great banana flavor, smooth, and refreshing. The employees are very friendly and warm from their initial greeting to presenting your final request. Lovely environment that can accommodate small or large groups. They also offer unique food options. I will come back, for sure. Oh and they also have a rewards program for frequent customers. read more

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Smoking Tiger is a well known Korean-inspired bakery and cafe serving up some amazing drinks and pastries. This spot is located right next to Aldi's in a plaza with a good amount of parking spots. Inside, they have a welcoming and spacious setup with about 8-10 tables for seating. For their menu, they have a solid selection of different coffee, matcha, and pastries to choose from. Wifey and I opted to try the Matcha Apple Cider and a couple of their pastries. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience here. All of the staff here are very friendly and welcoming. This is a great spot to come get some work done, meet up with a homie, or just to grab some drinks and pastries for takeout. read more

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Love the interior--great vibe for studying. The matcha is strong, slightly sweet. 8/10 read more

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I had the strawberry matcha and it was tasty but I wouldn't say it's my favorite. I was hoping to grab one of the garlic pull apart bread they feature but sadly, they ran out and my fault for coming to a coffee shop at 3 PM Loved the ambiance of this place, could be a great place to study and work at and also attached to an Aldi for your grocery needs! The service was great and the cashier was super friendly trying to accomodate other food options since they ran out of the bread I wanted. I'll definitely come back to try their lattes. read more

I came here just to try out the different cream cheese breads and they didn't disappoint! I thought they would be overpowering but they were actually very light! I can def eat like 5 of them! Next I will try out the coffee! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

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Excellent food with delicious pastries with an Asian twist. I love everything with mochi in it and they offered many. The staff is very friendly and service is top notched. The ambiance is casual and modern and they have a very old school seating outside that seems to be there when this building was built. The only thing that lowers the ambiance is that it's right next door to an Aldi. Shout out to the cute Korean waiter! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Lala - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

I hadn't been to smoking tiger in awhile but decided to give it another try ... this seasonal grapefruit matcha glow got me . they've really upped their matcha quality and the grapefruit glow was so good... every one of these pictures was from a different day within a week and a half. I really hope they keep this one because it's honestly really good and I've never seen this drink done before service is helpful and environment is super pretty with sunlight this drink and sun got me glowing :) will be back for more hehe read more

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It's crazy how much Smoking Tiger has grown since I've first had it it Buena Park. I'm certainly happy for them as their multiple locations are well-deserved. The beverages are fairly good, often on the sweeter side, though you can ask if sweetness is adjustable. I don't regularly drink coffee anymore, but they do have a small selection of non coffee drinks, such as MSGR and chai latte. They also have some matcha drinks that I have yet to try. Pastries are delicious as always, definitely all on the heavy side varying from savory to sweet. Their garlic cream cheese is one of their most popular pastries, but my favorites are the scones. Workers are super friendly. There is decent amount of seating here. The coffee lab is aesthetically pleasing with accents of wood. They also sell some really cute t-shirts that I may one day cave in to buying. I would love for the place to have some lighter options for food and beverages. Regardless, I will always return to Smoking Tiger. read more

Service was great! Employees are nice and helpful! We stopped by on a Saturday; late morning. It wasn't too busy and there was no wait. My bf ordered a Yuzu Sparkling Lemonade. He said it was refreshing, lemony and citrusy, lol. It was hand crafted and not from a premade bottle. Perfect! I ordered a large strawberry match (iced only) and a jalapeño cream cheese musubi croissant pastry (savory). The drink was HEAVEN and the pastry was sooooooo good! I should have got two! HAHA read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Strawberry Matcha Latte Yuzu Sparkling Lemonade Musubi Jalapeño Cream Cheese - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

Stopped by with some coworkers to get a little drink and snack before going to work. Place is really clean and the lady taking our order was extremely friendly. Also have a lot of little items like shirts and mugs for sale. Looks like the drink menu isn't huge, but they do have a pretty big assortment of baked goods. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but I tried the banana milk latte. It was decent. It was refreshing and had a good little banana aftertaste. Overall, seems like a cool little coffee shop to hang out at. read more

I love the seasonal drinks at Smoking Tiger, it's fun to try out new drinks. I got the Peach Latte which had real peach bits in the coffee and I really enjoyed it! Their selection of breads are also delicious. The cashier that helped us was super friendly. The cafe space is pretty big, there's plenty of tables to chill and work on compared to the San Gabriel location which only has 2-3 small tables. We got our drinks pretty quickly. read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

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Visited for coffee but what was amazing was the garlic cream cheese bread. I'll definitely be back just for that alone but their seasonal peach latte was really good as well- you can taste the quality in every drink they make. Service is friendly and helpful & ambience is nice with smaller tables inside for a quick sit down snack. read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Garlic cream cheese bun - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

I needed an afternoon pick-me-up so I decided to go check out Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab. I got the strawberry matcha with whole milk (they have whole, oat and almond), and a matcha scone. Both were delicious. The service was super friendly. The drink came out really quick and I was on my way. There is plenty of parking and seating inside. I will definitely be taking some friends there to check it out. It's in the Aldi parking lot. read more

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Had the absolute pleasure of trying Smoking Tiger for the first time. The matcha was excellent and perfectly refined. I love how they range in sweetness. The menu is so grand, ranging from drip coffees, matcha, and even pastries! I'll have to come back for their pastries soon! read more

Ordered the strawberry matcha and the seasonal boricano (barley and americano)! Drinks were really good and flavorful! The boricano in particular was a unique flavor and something I would order again if I wanted coffee! The interior was modern and clean, with plenty of seating for a work/study space! One of the male baristas was so nice and gave my mom and I free pastries (maybe because I came a couple days prior too haha)! The coffee shop is right next to Aldi so it's perfect to do some grocery shopping and pick up a cup of coffee! Highly recommend for the customer service and yummy drinks! read more

Would not accept cash turned away a customer won't be back, coffee is ok but it's crazy to me these businesses that would turn you away unless you wanna pay with a card. read more

Alexis was super sweet and helpful ! I got a chai tea with oat milk and the popular cream cheese garlic bread . I would definitely recommend both items ! read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Chai with oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

I am eager to start off saying that, I did not feel welcomed in this coffee shop. Beyond that after ordering I felt no warmth. I can blame it on the fact that I am a sensitive person but non the less, that is how I feel. I really know from that experience I am highly unlikely to return. The drinks are so different and that is what brought me in. I found the idea of a corn latter so appealing. However, even though I am a lover of corn, the dink was disgusting. My family got different match drinks and complained that the flavor was too strong. I know some places ask for the desired matcha strength. They probably just had a rush before I arrived and were maybe exhausted by the time I showed up. The interior of the business is really nice and modern. Yet, I wouldn't pick this as a study spot because the music is very loud. read more

I've always seen this place and wanted to try it, and today was the first time I was able to make it in before they closed. I ordered the corn latte because I love anything corn-flavored. I was really hopeful that it would be delicious and have a strong corn taste, especially since some of the reviews mentioned it being very corn-forward. Unfortunately, my corn latte tasted like burnt coffee with no corn flavor at all. I'm not sure if it was because I substituted oat milk, but I thought there was supposed to be a corn cold foam--and I didn't taste any corn, not even a hint. Really disappointed, especially for a $7.50 drink. Also, I don't know if this was a one-off issue, but when I went to pay, the tip screen popped up and the "no tip" option wasn't working. It only let me check out if I chose at least a 5% tip. I've never seen that before, so I thought I'd mention it in case anyone else runs into the same thing. read more

This place is great. Coffee quality is excellent! I recommend their Tiger Latte. It's delicious and you really taste the coffee. It's cute in there. There are always students. It's pretty quiet and calm. Service is fast. There usually isn't a wait. read more

Great service. Delicious coffee and pastries. Good amount of indoor and outdoor seating. Clean (including restrooms). Lots of parking.

FINALLY got a chance to go here and I was NOT disappointed. It's not only a cage but there's a mini bakery for you to pick up some bread and pastries, both sweet and savory and they have mini basque cheesecakes and sandwiches for purchase too. The workers there are also happy to heat up your bread products too if you want to enjoy them in shop. There's seating there too if you would like to work on things or just catch up and free Wi-Fi too. I believe this used to be the old Hiccups location back in the day. There was a line of people in front of me, but the wait was more due to both parties being indecisive of what they wanted, asking lots of questions, etc. It's nice that the breads are self serve though and I love the unique pastries they have here as they have a LOT that I have not seen in standalone bakeries. I got the: 1) Banana Milk Latte: -This is banana milk with vanilla cold cream and espresso. -Nice and sweet and yummy. If you're a fan of banana milk and want a pick me up during the day, this is the drink to get! -There's a lot of ice in it, but as a sane person you're supposed to let it melt and dilute the sweetness/flavor a bit, but I was a thirsty psychopath and just downed the entire thing. Good stuff. 2) Hojicha Latte: -This is a roasted jeju green tea with vanilla and a choice of your milk. -Milky drink with a smooth, slightly roasted tea flavor to it. -Much less sweet than the banana milk latte I got and I enjoyed sipping this drink throughout the rest of my work day. 3) Purple Sweet Potato Mochi: -My FAV from the bunch of pastries that I've gotten. It's so good, taste-wise and texture-wise. Doesn't hurt that it's cute too! -The eye catching dark purple exterior has a nice chewy texture to it and the sweet potato filling inside is not too sweet and isn't dry either (something I experience with the yellow kind of sweet potato filling). -I definitely would get this again and more of their other mochi pastries. 4) Cream Cheese Garlic Bread: -I remember when these were trending and super hype. Finally got a chance to try it and I asked for it to be warmed up. -Super garlicky taste to it, though I think my main issue is that the cream cheese is sweet and not the typical savory one that I'm used to. -Not the biggest fan of the sweet savory combination of this pastry, so it was a bit of a let down for me. 5) Injeolmi Madeleine: -They have a BUNCH of unique madeleines here and I'll def grab some of the other ones at my next visit. -This one has a bit of injeolmi in the middle and once again isn't too sweet. It is a bit drier than what I would have liked but nothing dipping it in some milk or tea won't fix. 6) Lotus S'mores Sconkies: -TIL something new, a "sconkie" is a fusion between a scone and a cookie and I got the Lotus biscoff cookie one that has an entire biscoff cookie baked in! -There's cinnamon, marshmallow, and butterscotch chips in as well, making it a super gooey, sweet decadent treat. -A bit too sweet with the drinks I got but great with a standard glass of milk later. Definitely looking forward to going to try more drinks (hoping that I get a chance to get their choco mugwort drink one day) and pastries! read more

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I went mid morning and ordered the strawberry matcha latte & breakfast sliders. There's indoor seating and a few outdoor tables. You order at the counter and service was quick. I LOVED the strawberry matcha latte; it had great flavor that didn't get overpowered by the matcha and blended together very well. I also really liked the strawberry puree they use. The breakfast sliders are made to order and filling. I love the sauce they used in it. Inside the store is quiet, but the music they play is great. Great place to grab food, study or work. I ordered the cream cheese garlic bread, corn mochi, and a couple sconkies to-go. The cream cheese garlic bread is great heated up and loaded with cream cheese on the inside. The corn mochi has a chewy outside and filled with cream cheese and corn. The sconkies you can't go wrong with- just heat them up a little before eating. Parking- parking lot read more

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I've been curious about Smoking Tiger Bread Factory for a looong time so finally tried it this morning. I ordered the Pineapple Express and Honey Walnut Bun. It was all sweeter than I expected because a lot of the other bakeries in Rowland Heights are on the "not too sweet" side (my immigrant mother's favorite compliment). But this place is a little more modern and probably wants a bigger customer base. Pineapple Express was good! At a boba shop I had a mango lassi jasmine tea drink and it tasted off, but Smoking Tiger's pineapple jasmine tea combo really complimented each other. I could taste both the sweet pineapple juice and the floral notes of the jasmine tea. The honey walnut bun was soo good. The bun itself isn't too sweet, but the cream filling does take it up a bit. It's also really filling hahaha, but it's definitely got me excited to come back and try more. Service is quick and helpful. I took a star off for price. Everything is expensive now, but I was surprised to be paying city prices for a chain that mainly operates in the suburbs (and this one is right next to a budget grocery store no less). But that won't stop me from coming back (it'll just be more of a "treat yourself" spot). read more

I highly recommend the garlic cream cheese bread so delicious, it was the star of the show!! The jalapeño cheese spam Sandwhich was delicious. For the drink I had the Jeju Matcha Latte it was not overly sweet, however it had a very light matcha taste due to the milk overpowering it. Maybe I should opt for another milk alternative instead of whole or add another shot of matcha. The staff were super friendly and welcoming! I would come back again to try more of their delicious food items and drink options. Food: 5/5. Matcha: 3.5/5. read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Jeju Matcha Latte, Garlic cream cheese bread, and jalapeño cheese spam bread. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

Super friendly staff and a variety of treats for everyone. I like the vibe here and of course the coffee is delicious. Now I have to try everything here read more

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Please listen to the song I am parodying https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f9160gInZ0 While you are reading my review. Divine Our brews belong together You make my life much better My Korean dream Your fine You have the sweet pastry And I want it, just for me My Korean dream I find great parking and I am in glee The service makes me feel right at home I love this place every time Divine Our brews belong together You make my life much better My Korean dream read more

Another location opened! Who would have known there's another location opened near by us? We have been going towards Buena Park location for their coffee and pastries, and now, we do not have to make that drive anymore. Smoking Tiger opened right next to an Aldi AND across from a plaza with a Target, what more can there be in the area? I love their creativity with their coffee and flavors. You must check out their corn coffee latte because you will not regret it. Another plus about this location is that it's very roomy and have plenty of seats for studying or catching up with friends. The service is great. The workers are super nice and helpful when you're unsure what to order. I can definitely see myself coming back here often. read more

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Consistently great service! Kara is a five star employee especially when if you're a bit indecisive! Quiet great place to study ! Found the best gluten free mochi stuffed with the yams ! And my mom went with the box full of stuffed bread options and a personalized cold lower sugar banana milk latte . I got a hot smokin Spaniard which was an aromatic version of a cafe classico latte with the oat milk option and I must say try the oat milk vs regular dairy option it's a game changer ! read more

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Coffee is solid. Their have unique flavors that you probably can't get at any other coffee shops. There are some bread selection. Not a whole lot, but decent amount. I like the salt bread. It's basic and not too heavy. Theirs is chewier than others. Coffee bread is ok. Sconkie is ok. It's pretty much drier cookie, messy eat, but pairs ok with coffee. Sconkie is their signature item, chocolate flavor is good. They also sell some fancy yakgwa cakes in the refrigerated section for $13 each and liquid death. Staffs are really nice and helpful. They can heat up the goodies for you and they even brought them up to our table! All location have a pretty good team. They have outdoor seating but didn't look comfortable. Inside is nice and spacious with cozy music. Plus, they're dog friendly. read more

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I can now mark 3 of the Smoking Tiger locations in OC off my list. Situated right next to a grocery store, the Whittier franchise is a little bit smaller than the Buena Park one (my current favorite) and carries a smaller selection of items, but maintains the airy atmosphere of other locations. Staff was pleasant and completed my order quickly. At 4:00 PM on a Friday, it seemed like most pastries were sold out, so I opted for a lemon earl grey sconkie and a corn latte. The coffee was great - shot tasted nice and smooth - but the corn cream was particularly noteworthy. With a lot of cream top drinks, I don't typically get to taste the flavor of the cream after mixing the drink in, but the ST corn cream managed to retain its flavor even after being mixed into the latte and actually got better as I continued to drink, which was very nice. Sconkie was a little more dry than I had hoped (maybe to high on the scone-cookie ratio) and the only noticeable flavor was the cream in the middle. I might stick with my savory pastries, but otherwise a good experience overall. read more

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab - Lemon Earl Grey Sconkie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Whittier, California

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Drove by here on a Saturday afternoon. I was worried they wouldn't have any bread left but they actually had a good variety of bread left. I had a banana milk latte which was delicious. It was perfectly sweetened and the the banana flavor was subtle but still present. The cream was fluffy, light and not too sweet. For my bread I got the pop tart which was a flattened croissant with brown sugar on it. The bread was a little hard so I probably should have got it warmed. The chocolate croissant was good but the croissant wasn't as flaky as I thought it would be. The place is nice and clean, lots of sitting space and the service was good. It's in a shopping center so there's lots of parking. Overall, the coffee was really good. I would totally be back for another latte! read more

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