I had a horrible experience here today. I stopped in on my way home from work. Was looking forward to it since I had been there before There were 4 young girls behind the counter and a older Asian man behind the register. I ordered a strawberry iced tea with strawberry popping boba and mango popping boba. After I paid, I said to the man I just want to confirm it is the "popping boba" and he said In a rude tone, that they don't have popping boba. I pointed through the glass and told him that it was the popping boba I just had it there two days ago he then said, coffee? He seemed defiantly confused, It was a night mare, then he said, "you don't know what you want?!" Then, I assured him I did know and I ordered with the girl that was standing right there when I was in there a few days ago. She asked if she could help and he shut her down quickly, all the employees look scared of him. He then angrily walked over to the cash register and said he was canceling my order. Omg! I couldn't believe it! Honestly I felt harassed by him. It was so weird. I kept looking at the girls that worked there and they all looked like a deer in the headlights scared of him. The way he was talking to me was in a belittling, condescending way. I asked him if he was the owner and he assured me he was. I said, well I won't be back. He laughed and said good. Jeez, I just wanted an iced boba tea and all as I got was complete humiliation from the owner of the store. I guess he skipped the course on customer etiquette. Long story short, he lost a good customer. I am that customer that will pay 9.50 for an iced tea several times a week. And I'm a good tipper. Too bad he lost my respect and my business. read more

Their tiger milk is one of the best I've had! So glad to have a solid boba spot in the area! read more

Soul Sweets - Tiger milk boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

The tea variation 4/5. The tea flavor 5/5. Each flavor tastes different. Cleanliness is 5/5. Time it takes to make the tea 4/5. This is expected as each tea is made to order and there is only so much you can do with prep work for tea. The boba is 4/5 and tastes fresh, unfortunately it is an extra .50 to the order which is not uncommon but sad still. They have a punch card system which is nice. Staff are only friendly half the time, if that. Simple questions are gone answered with attitude and defensiveness so 2/5. Store location and parking is 5/5. Try the oolong milk tea! read more

As a Bay Area boba connoisseur, I am so happy to have found a delicious boba spot in Scotts Valley. Their earl grey milk tea is a personal favorite as they steep their own tea! AND their boba is always perfectly chewy and not too sweet! They make their Taiyaki fresh to order so it takes a few minutes, but worth it in my opinion, especially with the custard filling. Also, it's so nice to support a locally owned business; the owners are there serving customers day in and day out, and Esther is a sweetheart! Their new location next to Erik's Deli in Scotts Valley is nice and updated, I will definitely be a repeat visitor. read more

Soul Sweets - Earl grey milk tea with boba & jasmine milk tea with white pearls and sea salt cream - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

Three times now I've placed an order online and I was given a 20 minute wait time. One time was busier than the other two times. After arriving to pick up order, we waited an additional 45 minutes for our drinks. No food. Just one Unicornade Boba and two Jasmine Mint Mojito Bobas. Meanwhile people ordering in person would get their drinks and food and go, with no acknowledgement of those of us waiting who had ordered in via their website. No apology, in fact, met with rudeness when asked about our order. All. Three. Times. We want to support small businesses who offer unique treats, but this is ridiculous. read more

The staff is rude and owner is horrible. Their customer service is poor and they don't respect their customers. I had a horrible experience there and won't recommend to anyone. read more

I love this place. It's unfortunately far from where I live (about 40 minutes away) but I always stop in if I'm going through Scott's Valley. I'll even bring a couple extra teas home to save for later! Firstly, due to Covid, masks are required which I am grateful for. They also have their dining space set up for social distancing and prefer people wait in a line outside before ordering. I appreciate their concern for the health of their customers. Their service is quick and friendly. Their tea flavors are a little limited but super delicious- I love their rose gold milk tea and the classic tiger milk tea. The boba is also perfect, and the rose gold has real rose petals on top. Cute! I wish they'd add more things, like maybe a sea salt cream or toffee? But even without those options I'm satisfied. Their to-go drink holders are a little wobbly so be careful if you're ordering more than one. Otherwise, enjoy! read more

If I could give a negative 5 stars I would... there's nothing soulful or sweet about this place or the "owner", he acted as if he was drunk and the fear from the employees showed it all. I will never be back. read more

I'm disappointed that they discriminate against people with food allergies. We tried this place to support our local business and my daughter wanted the chocolate blast which is $9. It has rocky road in it so I asked them to sub it out with vanilla. The manager said they couldn't do that and we had to build our own which meant paying $1 for the same thing but with an ice cream that is safe for my daughter to eat. People who have food allergies shouldn't be asked to pay more for a safe alternative. In reply to Chases comment which has now been deleted): discriminate was a strong word to use but, after the way I was spoken to and the way this establishment made me feel, it felt fitting. It was a simple accommodation that would have cost this business zero extra dollars to offer for food allergy sufferers. Would have gone a long way as a business practice to treat customers with dignity. This review was simply to let other customers who have food allergies know that you will pay more here to eat safely. I'm not really confident in their food allergy awareness in general so I wouldn't feel safe returning anyways. I'll keep my business at Rita's who is very food allergy friendly and accommodating. Also, I did pay the extra $$ so my daughter could have the sundae she wanted so Chase's comment to me calling me cheap was unnecessary. read more

It is really so strange to have to write this. Scotts Valley is a small close knit town of 12k. People talk and it seems this company has come in and done almost everything wrong so far. In any case, I wanted to check it out myself. They weren't wrong. SUPER rude owner, I waited 20 minutes, for one drink, and it was completely wrong. After paying and trying it, I went back to the register. My mouth just hung open as the guy, who said he was the owner after I asked for a manager, told me that since I already payed for and tried it that they wouldn't fix it or give me a refund. I just left. That's that for me but I do plan on also sharing with the locals as well as on Nextdoor. You have the wrong attitudes in the wrong town for it. Fix your store or leave because business will drop if it hasn't. read more

My first experience, was just OK. When we approached the front to order, there was a man there (probably the owner or manager?) and we weren't greeted at all with a smile as we wanted to order. He just hand waved one of the employees down to take our order and just left. Maybe he was busy or whatever, but was not definitely not a friendly encounter or good first impression. Regardless of that "meh" greeting, my fiance and I ordered the sassy matcha latte, jasmine mint mojito, and the pina colada ice cream waffle for dessert. My sassy matcha latte was just OK, but I really loved the mochi in the drink. I will not be getting this drink again, but will get mochi in my drinks in the future. My fiance mentioned that the mint was bruised and didn't taste the mint at all. It just a regular tea that wasn't memorable and a bit bitter. He will not be ordering it again. As for the pina colada ice cream waffle, it was bomb overall. We just wished they used fresh pineapple instead of canned. The container it was served in was aesthetically pleasing, but made it impractical eating it in a little cardboard cup. It was very unstable and fell over a few times on the table... As for my second experience, we ordered taro slushies with regular boba and crystal boba. Best idea I ever had, haha. Anyway, the girl at the register was really friendly and we got our drinks in ample time. We loved the taro slushies, so it'll be hard for us to try their other flavors since we found something we liked. We also ordered the assorted mix of taiyaki. We were big fans of the custrad taiyaki over the others. Not a fan of red bean, so we didn't like that one. The chocolate one wasn't anything special. Will likely order the custard taiyaki from now on. The environment itself was nice, but can we very loud as the music they play is something to speak louder over. I like that they are open in later in the evening, so we can come here for dessert after dinner. Definitely the best place to go for boba in the Santa Cruz area for sure. This place is comparable to places over the hill in San Jose. read more

Soul Sweets - Pina Colada Ice Cream Waffle - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

Coming from someone who's used to good boba (SD gang), this is the best boba shop in the Santa Cruz area. Their actual tapioca pearls aren't super prime, but the drinks themselves are really good. Would recommend the Passionfruit green tea with lychee jelly read more

Great boba place! I really like green tea, and they have strong taste. Also many options to choose drinks and dessert. I highly recommended this place read more

Soul Sweets - Green milk tea & Jasmine green milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

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This place is SO amazing !! First off, the boba itself is legit. It's soft yet chewy and has lots of flavor. Next, the tea is very delicious. It's not heavy nor fake tasting. They also had great, friendly, helpful service. All in all, we will definitely be coming back !! read more

Soul Sweets - Matcha Green Tea Latte and Rose Gold Milk Tea :) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

I am thrilled to see a real sweet shop in Scotts Valley! I am a lifetime resident of Scotts Valley and I travel out when it comes to offering a treat to my children. I couldn't be happier to see a place in town that offers Marianne's ice cream for a scoop and I am also delighted to have a place for amazing boba! I tried an amazing black tea with fluffy cream and will be back to try their bacon waffle! I love the owners Chase and Esther and how friendly and welcoming they are and wish them nothing but the best with their new business! read more

Soul Sweets - Opening day at Soul Sweets!!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

Lets start of by saying how wonderful their staff is! Upon entering we were greeted automatically with great service. They have a lot of drink options and desert options. The boba itself is very tasty. They even offer a variety of spicy noodles, which heads you are but the flavor itself is delicious. The layout of the restaurant is super cute, defiantly family friendly! read more

I really wanted to like this place especially since I came from out of town and had this place book marked to visit. My husband got the cookies and cream soft serve and he liked it a lot! Just a little on the small tiny side compared to other soft serves I've seen. I ordered the white peach oolong tea with boba and got it hot. The moment I sipped the tea it was so sweet like all sugar and no tea. I took a couple of sips and had to throw it away because I would have had a sugar attack. Would I come back? If I'm in the area yes just to try it but I probably know now that I won't order the white peach oolong tea. read more

Yooo me and my friends come here all the time now!!! This is THE BOBA PLACE near Santa Cruz! They're drinks are amazing and you can see them make it from scratch! They're desserts are delicious and flavorful with all kinds of variety! It's such a good place to study or even just to hang out and play games!! And the best part is that the family that's runs it is so nice and thoughtful about each customer! This is hands down my favorite place I've found in college! read more

Got a chance to stop in today ordered custard taiyaki, berry ice cream waffle, a tea, and a matcha waffle. The flavor of the waffles is very good. I thought $9 for the small ice cream waffle was a little extreme. Yes it will fall over because it's top-heavy sitting in that little paper cup. But overall very flavorful. Same with the other items. Since I live in Capitola I probably will stick to i crave which I think the prices are a little better and you get a lot more for your money but they use crepes instead of waffles. But in Scotts valley this is a great place to go. Will be back to redeem the $1 off coupon through Yelp check-in. read more

Soul Sweets - Strawberry ice cream waffle - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

Best boba in the county and their shop smells amazing!! I'm boring because I mainly get the taro milk tea, but it always fills my craving. However , I don't doubt the other drinks are amazing. My kids love the Unicornade and the Passionade. I've tried their other milk teas and the Matcha Milk tea is yummy along with . Oh also the sizes are perfect!! read more

Soul Sweets - Kids size unicornade - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

Friendly service and most importantly quick and strong milk tea!! Definitely will be back and satisfied!

Delicious and super cute! Can't wait to come again and try something new. Think we found our new hang out spot! read more

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Went in 1 hour before posted closing, and they would not make a waffle for my 9 year old son.

Best boba in Santa Cruz county PERIOD. And the taiyaki is a deliiiiight! Definitely recommend if you need a sweet treat!

Mixed bag. Decent drinks and snacks, some good employees, some very unprofessional and condescending employees. They messed up my order and acted like I was the one in the wrong. That's a great way to get customers coming back. Won't be back here again. read more

I've been a regular customer since before the new location. The service at the new location I have noticed has become hit or miss unfortunately. With things like a long wait or drinks not tasting consistent. Today I made an online order. I got there at the time it said it would be done which was 15 mins after placing the order, when I got there they didn't even start making my order. It wasn't terribly busy and there were 3 workers. I was disappointed. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE coming here! I love bringing my friends and sister here! Kind and fast service! I love the smell of waffles and sweet taiyaki filling the room. They are non-dairy friendly, which is great for me. The prices are very fair as well! Definitely coming back again! read more

Soul Sweets - Honeydew Boba Milk Tea & Earl Grey Boba Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

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The drinks at Soul Sweets are delicious when you are thirsty, but it can get a bit sweet at times. (banana slush drink) The service is fast for a small location and the employees are friendly. read more

I got the earl grey milk tea. Great tea flavor and not overly sweet and the cup isn't full of ice. Boba had a great chewy texture. Plenty of parking but finding and entering the plaza can be a little confusing. Masks are required to enter. read more

Soul Sweets - Earl grey milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

I have been a little addicted to boba teas lately because of the wife. We were on our way to Roaring camp when the wife asked if I wanted a tea. Of course I do. Using yelp, we found soul sweet. Well we found it on yelp but had trouble finding the actually spot. We called the place and was told it's located in the rear. This place was hard to find. It is located in a shopping center but in the rear of another shopping center. The place had nice decor. Wife ordered the earl grey milk tea and the Nutella waffle. The first tea had someone's hair. The wife showed this to the gentleman working their. He whipped up another tea. I tried the tea and it was not for me. I like earl grey milk tea but not this one. The wife really liked it but I didn't care for it. That was the whole reason why we ordered one so I could taste it. Thank god because the second would have been a waste because I would not have drank it. I am not knocking the tea, just saying I personally didn't like it. Now for the waffle, AMAZING. Very yummy and delicious. Thank god we only got one because I would have eaten everyone's waffle if we had purchased four. Pros: the waffle for sure. A must. The tea if you're into this tea. He does make them fresh and uses fresh tea bags and not tea that has been sitting. Cons: location location location. Hard to find. Like I said, I didn't care for the tea but that is my taste buds. The wife loved it. Peace! read more

My daughter and I came to Soul Sweets today around 6pm (they close at 8pm) and were rudely told by an older man who I assume is the owner that they were closed as we were already standing in the store in front of the cash register and had waited a minute or two to order. He let us order drinks, but said we couldn't stay in the store after. Soul Sweets should be closing and locking their doors if they choose to close early, not allowing customers to make their way to the cash register to order and then giving them attitude about being closed and making them feel unwelcome. Bad Service. read more

Very clean and friendly place. Got a few sips into my drink and something didn't taste right. It's slightly sour. Not sure if this is how the milk tea with boba is supposed to taste. It tastes very different (and normal) at their other location, which I have frequented and enjoy. I noticed another reviewer had commented on sour ice cream ... hmm. My friend thought maybe the sour taste was due to a different type of boba syrup they're using. Not sure, but next time I'll go back to their other location (Soul Sweets Tea House). read more

First amazing boba around Santa Cruz county. I have been to all of the other shops around the city and this one beats them all. 100% worth the drive and wait time. I was so surprised and excited when I saw the employee throw the actual tea bag into the blender! They take their time with each order and put effort into their work. A must-try for boba lovers visiting Santa Cruz. read more

Soul Sweets - Signature black tea with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

Although the employees are very understanding and accommodating, unfortunately these drinks are just not worth the money. The ingredients used are not that great and drinks are overall watery. My order got skipped so I had to wait extra for a drink that was mid read more

Love this place, five stars for sure. Only complaint is I wish they would allow reusable Boba containers. Disappointing to bring them in and not be able to use them. read more

What a hidden gem. Ok, their boba tea is good, and you have to really search this place out because it is hidden. But what you really must try is the TaiYaki! I would never expect to find this on the Santa Cruz side of the hill, never mind hidden away where this place is. Get one of each flavor. And like my review after you do, to show you agree. This place has to be discovered. read more

The best place near Santa Cruz for boba by far! The drinks and the snacks are great and the service is even better! They're really really nice people and make everything from scratch! The atmosphere is fun as well. Whether you want to study or take a break playing games, it will be the perfect place for you! Go check them out!!!! read more

The owner is super curt and rude to his customers. He puts very little effort into customer service or any type of warm/friendly atmosphere. That's a bummer too-- we weeds really hoping to like this place, but even with giving them a second and third chance, the customer service was bad enough that I do not think I will be returning. read more

This place has always been five stars, and I really admired how they pulled it off through the pandemic. Just visited today and had to jump on here to comment that Kai, who was working the register, is a customer service super star! I was super impressed with how she handles the job, with an excellent team as well. Thank you! read more

best boba around-- menu not too big, staff friendly, a little hard to find but their fresh tapioca pearls make it worth the trip every time! read more

Soul Sweets - white peach oolong tea with salted cheese - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

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