Tried the hojicha latte and it was delicious. Good balance of sweet and earthy roasted flavor with…read morethis tea. There is a lot of space and it has a very calming vibe. Plenty of places to sit and study/read/hang out. Lots of fun options on the menu but definitely have the basics. If you are not from around here, there really is one easy way(direction is heading south bound on Atlantic) to get into the plaza so keep your eyes peeled and don't miss the entrance. Otherwise I didn't find issues with parking or lines. Staff were nice. Would definitely come back to try this again when I'm in the area.

Nice vibe coffee shop in Monterey Park. Parking in the lot behind and streetside…read more They have a good assortment of coffees and teas. I went with their recommended Vietnamese coffee. It actually was quite strong as I desired when ordering Vietnamese coffee. But tasted more like a Viet coffee as a western latte, but did appreciate it with their almond milk as a lighter alternative. Staff were friendly. There's WiFi and a bathroom if you want to study, and water. They also have some pastries and small food items. Service is a bit slow, but expected given the mom and pop style.

Dangerously good! Honestly, this may be a new favorite spot for me!…read more The drink itself (Smokin Spaniard) was a lovely mix of sweet and rich, it'd be hard for me to order something different the next time I'm there bc of how good it was! Lots of seating, some tables and chairs, some bench tables. Free WiFi and several outlets make it a great spot to get work done. There's a bathroom for customers as well. I went midday and it wasn't very busy on a weekday, but I'm sure it's popular on the weekend. I got my drink very fast as well. Really enjoyed it!

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab is a decent cafe with plenty of seating, making it a comfortable spot to…read morerelax or get some work done. Coffee - 3/5. The coffee was well-made - it wasn't burnt, overly bitter, or sour, so the extraction seemed solid. However, the flavor felt flat and watered down. It lacked the aroma, body, and rich roasted notes that make a cup memorable. Nothing really stood out, leaving it tasting more diluted than satisfying. Also, I don't think the barista could froth the coffee well. Instead of a nice velvety, dense froth, the froth was a bubbly foam (see photo). Food - 3/5. I visited around 9 a.m., but the pastry selection was surprisingly limited (see photo). The pastries also didn't taste particularly fresh; they had more of the texture and flavor you'd expect from pastries sitting out later in the day rather than freshly baked items you'd hope to find early in the morning. The café has a modern, hip vibe and a warm, inviting atmosphere. It's spacious, with plenty of seating, making it a pleasant place to spend some time. Overall, Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab is a fine neighborhood café if you're looking for a comfortable place to sit and enjoy a coffee. Unfortunately, neither the coffee nor the food left much of an impression. Nothing was particularly bad, but nothing really stood out either. While the ambiance is probably its strongest point, the coffee is just average.

Super quick service, delicious latte and food!…read more I got a London Fog with Matcha and the turkey provolone croissant. The matcha in the London fog was a nice touch recommended to me by the cashier. It's a cute and quiet cafe with lots of chairs for waiting and a couple of tables for anyone wanting to sit down and study/ eat.

I've been here a couple times now when I'm back in the area and do think its nice we have a "fancy"…read morecoffee shop in the area. Its a smaller space so more pick up and go but they do have some space if you want to stay and chat or work. Staff have always been nice and friendly and they have a lot of fun drinks (both teas and coffees). I think I always try a jasmine based drink but the jasmine never really comes through. Otherwise, I do think their lattes and teas have been pretty good, just don't expect a strong jasmine flavor or fragrance.

Was in the area with some friends and we stumbled across Three Fields Coffee! The space is modern…read moreand spacious, with small tables as well as communal tables and even some board games on the shelf along the wall! Definitely a great space for hanging out and/or getting some work done. The staff members were friendly and welcoming as well. I got an iced matcha latte lightly sweetened with agave which was quite good but the matcha flavor could have been a bit stronger. The prices for the matcha are a bit steep though - $8.5 for a matcha latte, and $10 for the strawberry matcha latte or the matcha latte with a matcha cream top. If you bring your own mug they'll give you a small discount on your drink too! Parking: there's a nearby free parking structure, or street parking

EDIT: business let me know there's structures in the back! 4 stories…read more Decent coffee spot but only street parking, hojicha latte was alright, would go back for their biscoff! Service was pretty nice, no issues. Only 1 bathroom. The vibe was pretty chill - seats were comfy!

Love the Southeast Asian flavors of the coffee here and that they change up the menu seasonally…read more Plus no additional fee for alternative milks -- they know their audience...lactose intolerant Asians!! I usually get either the Horlicks or Dirty Milo depending on how I'm feeling. Horlicks is more wheat-y while Dirty Milo is more chocolate-y in taste. Both are delicious and STRONG. There's tables for you to either sit and catch up over coffee or get some work done. Tables do fill up throughout the day though, so may not be possible to snag a seat for an afternoon pick-me-up. Parking in the lot behind the shop!

I came here a while back with friends, and the inside atmosphere is super cute! They have a variety…read moreof drinks, and I saw a lot of people ordering the pandan coconut drink. Unfortunately, my drink wasn't really my favorite--it just wasn't my personal taste. However, I'd still recommend checking this place out for the cute vibes and drink options. Hopefully next time I visit, I'll find a drink I love!

Visited The Tea with my wife on a Saturday evening and it was pretty chill. There's two self…read moreordering kiosks by the front desk which is always a nice sight to see. They have some tables but not enough for a place to hangout to be honest. Their whole concept is pretty much a open kitchen, order and walk to the back and wait for your order. Can get pretty cramped but that's just how their shop is designed. Parking - Free in a one way outdoor lot. If it's full, there's the plaza right next door and/or street parking, plenty overall. Their menu is quite extensive, from teas, boba, coffee, fruit teas, they've got it all. For first timers, they have a signature section which I think is basically their most popular drinks, they're all recommended to try. My wife and I ordered the Oreo Matcha Brulee and the Uji Matcha Latte to share, both came out pretty quickly, around 5 minutes or so. I'm a huge sucker for oreo matcha brulee type drinks and this place made it perfectly. Each sip is full of the ingredients, very refreshing, and perfect sweetness in my opinion with 30% - 60% sugar level. Overall, great tea shop, it's pretty ironic to find a place that's just called "The Tea" which can be hard to search up, but their drinks are high quality, staff is quick, and their shop is clean. Very impressed.

The Tea or Not Tea is the question. Let's dive into this new tea adventure…read more The Tea is a popular local tea shot in Monterey. They are located in a shopping plaza on Atlantic avenue. Their tea drinks are compendious. Staff were competent. It was my first time here and was impressed with their tea drinks. I had an Avocado smash smoothie and Mango pomelo sago. Both were very good at an affordable price. This tea shop is welcoming and relaxing, Overall, I enjoyed their drinks. I recommend it.

What is that smell?!…read more This was my first reaction as I stepped foot into the store. The scent of fresh jasmine tea permeating to my nose was absolutely intoxicating. Whatever air freshener Heytea uses, I want it. The shop is not too big, and there are two kiosks you can order from towards the left hand side of the store. You may also order with the cashier at the register if you prefer. My favorite thing about Heytea is that they have a zero calorie sweetener option. I always order it with my Grapefruit Mango Boom. The tartness of the mango and grapefruit is perfectly balanced with the coconut jelly and milk. Mix it all together and voila!!---a creamy fruity party in your mouth. I have also tried their Milk Tea with boba. The tea flavor is pleasant with a very creamy base. The boba however was disappointing. It was very overcooked and lacked chewiness. Parking can be a hit or miss since it is located in the Atlantic Times Square plaza. If you're lucky you might be able to find parking in front of the store. Overall, Heytea is an overall enjoyable experience. If anyone knows what air freshener they use in their stores, please let me know!

First time trying HeyTea and didn't realize how strong the store smells of tea. It honestly hits…read moreyou like a truck, and personally made me feel a little dizzy from just being in the line. I got a Brown Sugar Milk Tea and the Mango Grapefruit Boom. Milk tea wasn't too sweet and pretty light. I enjoyed it but wished there was a stronger tea flavor. As for the Mango Grapefruit Boom, it was actually pretty decent but the grapefruit topping was super bitter. I usually enjoy ordering this combo at other shops because it's a nice balance. But unfortunately, maybe today had a bad fruit, but it was extremely bitter. Will probably come back another time to give it another chance.

My wife wanted to try Torotea, so she sent me to pick it up. It was takeout, and I had a bit of a…read moredrive home. I wasn't a believer. I kept thinking, *"How many boba shops do we really need?"* One thing that stood out was their ordering system - they don't use the usual percentage options for sweetness and ice. Instead, they have "Perfect Sweet" and "Perfect Ice." Whatever that means, right? I was still skeptical. I waited until I got home so my wife and I could try it together. Mind. Blown. Even though it's a bit of a drive for us, we've already gone back three times in a month. That might not sound like much to some people, but for us to make a special trip just for boba says everything. It's not the fastest. You'll probably wait 5-10 minutes in full, but perfection takes time, and it's absolutely worth it. Suggestion: a stamp or loyalty card would be awesome. No disrespect to the brand, but I think the real Torotea fans would appreciate it.

Torotea has become one of my go-to's in the SGV although they are definitely on the pricier side…read more The interior is modern and cozy, but there is no space to sit and chit chat, only a space to sit to wait for drinks. They provide self-serve water outside of the store in the case that there is a long wait. Fortunately, this has never been the case when I have visited. The employees were also super helpful and very well-versed with their menu. They knew exactly what drink paired well with what jelly. All the drinks are true to the taste profile as described on the website. The Popcorn Milk Tea with Brown Sugar Tapiochi is one of the most popular items and it was indeed very buttery. It had a very unique taste profile, but definitely not for me. I personally really really really enjoyed the Misty Oolong MT which had a light-roasted, malty flavor with subtle buttery highlights. It paired perfectly with the osmanthus jelly. The best drink Torotea has to offer by far!