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    Special Tea

    3.9 (23 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 5:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Menu (9/13/25)
    Hong N.

    The interior is pretty cute and I like the little characters they have everywhere including the menu. Workers were nice but service was a little slower. I went around 4:50 though and they close at 5:30 and had a spike of drinks around then. They had a bogo on every drink when I went. I got the cheese strawberry drink and added lychee drink. I automatically got two drinks because of the bogo. Unfortunately, it did not taste that good? The lychee jelly was giving the most flavor but most of the drink tasted watery for some reason and the cheese foam did not help. I do not taste much strawberry at all. The aftertaste of the cheese foam was also off. Maybe I just needed to up the sweetness but it personally was not for me. They also had a raffle when I went if you spent $10. The same group won three times when I was there though, which was an interesting experience.

    Orchid Scented Jasmine
    Amy L.

    I can't help but have to compare it to the old Yokee since it recently replaced it. The base price is about $1.50 more expensive that Yokke - $4.50 vs $6.00. I ordered the Orchid Scented Jasmine Milk Tea and I wasn't too impressed. I had loved the Yokee Jasmine Milk Tea because I can taste the tea and the floral scent of of the jasmine tea but I only taste the sweetness of the Orchid Scented Jasmine Tea /: I might try it again and order something else to see if there's something I would get. Overall, this place is more expensive than the old Yokee and doesn't fit my need for a milk tea that has a strong tea flavor.

    Matcha Latte
    Kimberly O.

    Stopped in randomly and the matcha latte with added boba was fire! Definitely recommend, quick easy service.

    Refreshing and delicious! The mango is sweet, the pomelo adds a nice balance, and it's not too heavy--perfect drink for a hot day.
    Mollie T.

    Refreshing and delicious! The mango is sweet, the pomelo adds a nice balance, and it's not too heavy--perfect drink for a hot day.

    Oolong Milk Tea

    I stopped by Special Tea after hearing great things about their tea quality--and I'm glad I did! I ordered the Oolong Milk Tea with boba (50% sugar, less ice), and it did not disappoint. The oolong tea had a deep, roasted flavor that came through clearly even with the milk--perfectly balanced and not overly sweet. The milk was creamy without feeling heavy, and the drink had a smooth finish. What really stood out were the boba pearls: soft on the outside with just the right amount of chew, and subtly sweet. The staff was friendly and fast, and the shop itself was clean and cozy--perfect for grabbing a quick drink or hanging out with friends. Prices were fair for the quality and I appreciated the customization options for sweetness and ice. I will definitely come back again to try the other drinks on the menu!

    disgusting
    Kelvin Y.

    I just paid $9 for this 3 brothers tea and honestly the balls have no taste the drink has barely any taste, and like the other person commented it taste like im drinking water. NEVER again wth.

    Boba Milk Tea

    Shoutout to the team at special T! We order from you all the time for our company, and you never miss. The drinks are always on point--creamy milk teas, popping boba, the works. Everyone in the office has their favorite, and you nail every single one. Plus, the prices are totally fair, which is awesome when we're ordering for a big group. Thanks for being so reliable and making such great drinks! You're the best!

    Carlos H.

    Good boba and quality drinks. Nice cafe vibe and I like the music and friendliness of the person at the register. Drinks are about what you expect for San Francisco.

    Durian Sago
    Karmen L.

    The drinks here are amazing! I especially loved the durian sago -- it's incredibly delicious. Highly recommend it to all durian lovers!

    Mango Pomelo Sago Matcha Volcano
    Lisa K.

    It have replaced the old iTea. I came here after the grand opening days on a weekend. The anterior was pretty cute. It was a labubu theme decorated with the logo of special tea. I got their mango sago drink and the matcha volcano drink. The mango sago was pretty good, juicy, and tasty. You can taste the fresh mango to it. The matcha volcano was pretty sweet, it have remind me of similar to of what i have try before. The service was great I appreciate it. I got my drinks in 10 minutes.They still have bogo until the end of October. I would come back another day to try their other drinks .

    I ordered the Lemon Black Tea, and it has a strong tea flavor beautifully infused with fresh lemon. Very refreshing and perfectly balanced.

    Boba Milk Tea

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    9 months ago

    Tried the mango pomelo sago. Loved it. Very refreshing. Mango and pomelo had great taste.

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    10 months ago

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    Obsessed! Discovered Urban Ritual two days ago, been here twice back to back. The quality of…read moreingredients, the option of no ice, the level of sweetness (when not adjustable), diversity of drink options, prices and the staff are all AMAZING! The young lady who has assisted my orders both days is so sweet and friendly. She prepared my drinks both days, she's amazing and so were our drinks. The store interior is not large yet spacious and clean. There is no where to enjoy outside in front of the store. There is a grassy/parking area nearby (2 min walk). From Civic Center Bart it is a 15-20 minute walk, depending on your pace. There is online ordering available as well as self service kiosks in store. Definitely worth a visit and revisit. I know I'll be back!

    I know this was a highly rated boba place and my sister even spoke good things of it, and I had…read morehigh hopes for it... but in the end it fell short. The line was long, waited about 10 minutes for the ordering system, because it's by machine now. Then waited another 15 minutes for the drinks. There were a bunch of teeny boppers in front of me ordering drinks (6-8ish), so it took a bit. I ordered a house milk tea with 25% sugar. Honestly it just tasted like ash. No creamy tasting like other boba places. Not sure what their house cream was but it wasn't creamy or rich in flavor. Big disappointment. My husband got the crème brulee milk tea and that tasted even worst. It just tasted like bitter burnt pudding. Some sweetness once you get pass the pudding. Not sure who made the drinks but it was not good. The boba however was nice and soft. Not sure if it's the day or the rush of hella orders, but I normally judge a boba place by their basic milk tea and that day it was not good. And maybe that's not what to order? Not sure. But willing to try again on another time.

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    Little Sweet - Watermelon slushie

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    4.0(971 reviews)
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    I write this three years later, though I should've made it sooner. I actually tried Little Sweet on…read moremy first date with my now boyfriend and we got there an hour or so before closing. The lights outside really set for such a cute twilight mood and though that wasn't the main point of their shop, it was a cute detail. You order off an ipad and wait for your order, pretty typical of most shops nowadays. I remember there being a short line as well, so it seems they are a busy boba shop! The drinks themselves were delicious based on what I remember, I recall their boba being perfectly chewy and not soggy despite getting there so close to closing. The drinks were not heavily packed with sugar, just the perfect amount of tea, milk and sweetness. I'm not really in the area that often, but it's a boba shop that I'll remember forever!

    This location of Little Sweet is located in the Inner Richmond district. Parking may be a bit…read moredifficult, as it is street parking. Ordering is through the kiosk off to the side, so not much service. There was one employee working who just kept giving us mean glares for an unknown reason. It is a small shop, so there is not much room to hang out inside either. I ordered their Jasmine Milk Green Tea with boba. The taste of the drink tastes very off-putting - it definitely does not taste like a jasmine green milk tea, but like a burnt tea with milk just added to it. My friends who are not that picky with boba tried it too and did not like it at all. We only took a few sips before tossing it.

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    1.6 miLower Pacific Heights, Japantown
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    Matcha Cafe Maiko is a pretty popular matcha dessert spot in Japantown, and almost every time I…read morewalked by, there were people going in and out, so I finally decided to give it a try. Overall, I thought it was good. Not something that completely amazed me, but definitely worth trying if you already enjoy matcha desserts. The biggest strength here is definitely the matcha flavor itself. A lot of matcha desserts nowadays are overly sweet to the point where you can barely taste the tea anymore, but here you can still clearly taste the earthy matcha flavor with a slight bitterness that makes it feel more authentic. The sweetness level was balanced well, so it never became overwhelming or too heavy by the end. If you prefer Japanese-style matcha flavors that actually taste like tea instead of pure sugar, you'll probably appreciate this place more than many trendy dessert spots. I tried one of their matcha soft serve items, and the texture was smooth and creamy without feeling overly rich. The matcha flavor stayed noticeable from the first bite all the way to the end instead of fading away after a few spoonfuls. Everything paired together nicely, and overall it felt like a lighter, more refreshing dessert. Especially after eating ramen or heavier food nearby in Japantown, it was actually a pretty nice way to finish the meal. The shop itself is fairly small, but clean and simple, with the typical Japantown dessert shop atmosphere. It feels more like a quick stop for dessert while walking around rather than a café where you sit for hours, but it fits the neighborhood well. The location is also super convenient if you're already shopping or exploring Japantown. Overall, I'd say it's a solid and reliable matcha dessert place. The matcha flavor is definitely there, and the quality feels consistent, but it wasn't something so incredible that I'd make a special trip just for it. Still, if you already like matcha or happen to be in Japantown, I think it's definitely worth stopping by and trying once.

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