My all-time favorite place for squid balls and popcorn chicken! While I'm not really a fan of their boba drinks, their fresh watermelon juice is incredibly good and refreshing. I grew up going to Tapex as a go-to hangout spot. It is a bit deserted nowadays, but don't get me wrong I still come back regularly for that nostalgic feeling and my essential squid ball fix. Plus service is always prompt. read more

Tapioca Express - Watermelon Juice (Fresh!) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I used to love this place as a kid but I've had a bad experience the last 2 times. Every time I've ordered the spicy chicken, it has had a hair in the batter stuck to the chicken not even on the outside but in the batter. I would not recommend their food because obviously there is some hygiene issues there. Drinks are still decent that's why I gave a rating of two stars. Boba was cooked nicely, still has that chewy bouncy texture. Parking lot is usually super hard to find parking because its gets super crowded here. Large open sitting area that can use some dusting and cleaning. Unfortunately, I was so upset because I was craving spicy crispy chicken so bad. I forgot to take a picture. read more

-parking lot is terrible especially at night. -lots of place to sit -- good place to study -no earl grey milk tea which is my favorite ): -the cashier seems knowledgeable. I asked him what Hong Kong MT is like regular MT but made with Ceylon so it has more tea concentrate. read more

Tapioca Express - Grapefruit Green Tea with jelly - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Still the same as I remembered about 8 years ago that I've had this. The crispy chicken rice still tastes the same!! It was sooo good. The place looks just the same as well !! Only thing is that it's hot in there. Besides that. They have a whole selection of drinks to order from. I love the honey black tea !! Definitely a goto spot everytime I'm in San Diego. read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

This is always my go to spot for a fast boba stop. There's never really a line, they're fast and efficient. They have some good options but I mainly stop for boba. They have plenty of options from milk teas to smoothies. Their mango snow bubble is not too sweet but super yummy! They have plenty of seating inside and outside. read more

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Tapioca Express I really enjoy their shrimp roll snack, so I usually order it whenever I'm in the area. The shop is spacious, clean, and well-ventilated, which makes it a comfortable place to stop by. The staff aren't overly friendly, but they're not rude either, which is good enough for me. I don't expect too much when it comes to service. Parking can be a bit challenging, so I don't come here as often as I'd like. Food: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 3/5 read more

Tapioca Express - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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My husband and I got popcorn chicken and tried their new red bull mixed drinks as we were wanting a quick afternoon boost. The popcorn chicken was tasty- hot and freshly made. The drinks we tried weren't bad either- the lychee jelly works well with the red bull mix. There were plenty of tables to sit at and overall the store was cool and clean. At 3pm on a Sunday, the place was almost empty. The order did take a while to get made but I wasn't in a huge hurry anyways. read more

Over priced for a little bit of chicken and rice with vegetables National city location gives more and is worth it When you order the combo here they give you 1/2 the amount of chicken as the normal non combo order $20 for this isn't it...... read more

Tapioca Express - Chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Seems when we're on vacation we eat our full but this place offers many options to hydrate yourself. We slipped in here to have something light to drink before dinner couple doors down. My watermelon juice was very refreshing. Perfect drink especially with 4 th of July coming up. Doc had a hot beverage and hubs had a cold drink. Quite large inside with many seating arrangements. We were one of three parties in there. read more

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Came in after a long day of walking and ordered a Pina Colada Snow Bubble and Brown Sugar Milk Tea both with lychee jelly. They could tell I was confused at the menu because they promptly came to the register and told us to feel free to ask any questions. Learned that a snow bubble meant it was a smoothie. Service was kind and we got our drinks quickly. However, I guess we forgot to ask to change the sweetness but also were not prompted to change sweetness. Kind of needed on the milk tea. The seating area was clean but it was kind of dark in there. But they were playing Spongebob on the TV which is a plus. During the relatively long walk back to the car (because it's Convoy), my Pina Colada started leaking through the lid. It wasn't sealed like normal boba drinks but kind of had a Starbucks frappe lid. read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

This location in convoy can get crowded in the parking lot so make your time here worth it. Lots of options to choose from but good boba overall. A nice spot while you wait for your reservations at nearby restaurants. read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been coming to Tap Ex for well over a decade -- both the Convoy and El Cajon Blvd locations -- and their Taiwanese popcorn chicken snack has always been my go-to. I seriously haven't found anywhere else that does it better. But today's visit was pretty disappointing. The calamari tasted kinda stale and didn't have much meat. The crispy chicken still tasted great (as always), but the portion was super underwhelming. The bag was literally half full, and they're charging $7 for that? It honestly felt like I got a $3.50 portion. I added some photos from different angles so you can see what I mean. I really hope they fix this, because I love their chicken and want to keep coming back. read more

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The food was delicious. I had never been here before and my friend brought me. The service was great. Fast and easy. The ambiance was mellow. Not a lot of people were there. read more

Tapioca Express - Crispy Chicken Rice & Drink - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I ordered a milk tea, but somehow it tasted more like Thai tea. $7 for a regular is honestly too much specially considering how small the cup was. read more

Tapioca Express - Milk tea with Boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Always enjoy stopping by here for a sweet drink, usually after KBBQ in the area. Service is quick and quality doesn't dissapoint. read more

Tapioca Express - Pistachio snow bubble and taro snow bubble with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Did a same day popcorn chicken comparison, so if you're looking for that dish, another place in the same complex is better (though more expensive, worth it). I will be skipping the chicken here. It used to be so so good and the texture has gone downhill in recent times. Service was nice and fast, which is a bonus if that's all you're looking for. read more

TAPIOCA EXPRESS! I stopped by here after eating at one of the restaurants in the complex and this place at first i was kind of scared about because of how large the menu was, and how many reviews this has on yelp. However, this was actually extremely delicious, and very cheap boba! I decided to get the lychee green with boba with 75% sugar and it was DELICIOUS! It wasn't super sweet, it came out so quickly and the service was quick and easy. There was numerous of things to try from, like smoothies, milk teas, green teas, and even shaved ice. The atmosphere was bright and there was a lot of seating. I'd highly recommend stopping by this place! read more

Tapioca Express - lychee green tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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We were waiting for our table to be ready at RakiRaki so decided to walk around the shopping plaza to kill time. The parking lot might be the third layer of hell. Would recommend just finding street parking by Carmax and walking. My wife was thirsty so we went into Tapioca Express and my first impression was "there is a lot of wood in here". That isn't a bad thing, it's just what I noticed first. We were going to get a peach tea, but there was signage highlighting the Watermelon Slush so we decided to give it a go. Wow! Very refreshing and probably way healthier than a slurpee, but just as refreshing & delicious. We slurped it down and then had warm ramen at RakiRaki to counterbalance. The perfect Yin & Yang except everything is great and there is no evil...unless we are talking about the current administration. Get your tea with NO ICE! read more

Tapioca Express - Watermelon Slush - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I don't care what anyone else says, even after 20 years, I'd still say they have the best Jasmine tea and popcorn chicken meal! I've been to other Tap Ex locations all over San Diego, north county SD, Bay Area, etc and no other tap ex location compares. And it might be weird to say but IMO they have the best straws lol - cute pastel colors, sturdy, reliable angled tip for a fail-proof stab, and individually wrapped. Trust me, I get tons of milk tea and boba drinks from soooo many places and I always come back to this tap ex with no hesitation! Service is always decent, no complaints. Parking sucks, that's the only negative. read more

The chicken tastes really good here i like the crispy plus Luke is an amazing worker. The service here was very good.

I cannot come to San Diego without getting Tapex and only this location. I don't know why maybe I am biased but everything is just better at this location. It's been here for so many years. They are closed on Mondays. I have the same order every time. Spicy chicken snack or the meal depending on how hungry I am feeling. I get the drink upgrade to either a thai tea, milk tea or strawberry milk tea. The chicken or calamari meals come with rice, fried egg, and vegetables. Parking is a absolute mess in this center. I usually do street parking. It's totally worth it. Love this boba spot it's my go to. The inside is always clean and well kept. Staff is consistently friendly and quick. read more

I went here with my parents and my friend for the first time while we were in the area. The cashier was super helpful with recommendations for toppings and popular drinks. I got the Lychee Green Tea with popping boba and absolutely loved my drink. It wasn't too sweet but not too bitter. They had a large seating area - perfect for hanging around and interior was well decorated. I would highly recommend Tapioca Express for anyone in the area! read more

Tapioca Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been a fan of TapEx for 20 years, I still like to get their crispy chicken meal. They've improved it too, it's got more to love now. Aside from the crispy basil chicken (spice level adjustable) and the rice; it also has stir fried broccoli, stir fried cabbage, fried egg, soy sauce simmered ground pork. The meal comes with a basic black tea or green tea, sugar and ice levels adjustable too. I think you can upgrade the drink to something else too like a boba milk tea. The staff is nice. This location on Convoy never seems to be busy so don't have to wait long. Maybe because the plaza is so packed and the parking lot is terrible that many people rather go elsewhere for boba. Once in a while, I'm willing to park farther away to get my fix of their crispy chicken meal combo. read more

Tapioca Express - Chicken Steak Rice & Drink - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Got togo here for the first time in a long while. Parking lot is busy as usual, especially now that Convoy St no longer has street parking. Food was ready by the time we arrived. Chicken steak rice was perfectly cooked and crispy. Fried tofu never disappoints. The crispy chicken snack was overcooked and a bit tough to chew through, but ranch helped soften it a bit. read more

All of the drinks I've ever gotten here have been very tasty! This location is in a busy strip mall filled with other food places and is great to go to for "dessert". Parking here is not great, the lot gets filled very quickly and I've found it better to try to find street parking. Today I got the taro milk tea with boba. It's also great that it's non-dairy for those who are lactose intolerant. I was a little surprised about how much the drink prices have increased (ended up close to $9 after tip). Last thing to say is that service is always quick and my drink was made in literally 1 minute. read more

Tapioca Express - Taro milk tea with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Tapioca Express Been going here for years now. Parking lot is shared with other business and it's a battle to find a spot. Sometimes it's just easier to park on the street and walk in. Service is good and prompt. The same door hasn't been working for years now lol. It's just normal now to see that sign to use other door. There's seating inside and outside. It's been the same decor since I could remember. Order the usual crispy chicken rice and calamari rice. The snacks combos are decent and hit the spot when you haven't had it in a while. The spicy level really depends on the person working in the back. Portion size remains the same, the same container they've had for years. The sides of vegetables and main entree on top of rice with seasoning. The boba here is ok to good. The boba is consistent though, which is a good thing. This used to be the boba spot back in the day, but now there's more choices around convoy. read more

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I went back to get some chicken and drinks. This was the original place we used to go. I ordered chicken and calamari. The chicken was tough and calamari wasn't lightly fried but tough. I got honeydew and coconut strawberry snow bubble was disappointing. It's not the same quality. read more

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I really enjoy the popcorn chicken combo meal here! This is one of my favorite spots to eat popcorn chicken when I'm in the area. Boooo, they are closed on Mondays and depending on the time of day it could get really busy here. Workers are friendly, wait times are okay, parking usually sucks, and prices could be improved... but, I still come here regardless! read more

The food was delicious. Very reasonable price for combos. Service was quick. The place was very busy but pleasant. Looking for a peaceful and a little turned up experience. This is the spot. read more

Tapioca Express - Very tasty great deal for dinner includes tea love it definitely recommended this spot - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Food: good Service : Friendly Ambiance: they are in a busy shopping center I alwaya get the strawberry passionfruit snow bubble with boba. My friend got the Strawberry snow bubble with real strawberries and boba. We shared the karache crispy chicken with a side of rice. Friendly service. Parking sucks. read more

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I've been to 3 Tap-Ex locations, the one at UCSD, the one near Vons, and this one, and they are all pretty consistently the same. The drinks are pretty average, but I do enjoy their slushies more than their other drinks, such as milk teas or fresh teas. I find that the fruit teas here are a little bit more on the bitter side, which is just not my preference. The popcorn chicken is fried nicely, but the way they package it makes it so that it tends to get soggy quickly, and I find that it often lacks sufficient seasoning. I always ask for extra salt and pepper on the side to re-season the chicken to make it just right. Parking is a little bit difficult in this plaza. read more

Tap Ex has been around for ever. With how many boba shops have popped up especially in recent years, it feels like the OG. It's not the trendy new kid in town, but instead a no frills old friend. The positive: they serve food in addition to boba. Nothing is a huge stand out, but you'll get your fix. This place is usually always packed. It's got a very energetic environment. read more

Always reliable! Even though it's located in the most crowded plaza in Convoy. Speedy service Boba like the good ol days Ample seating space Crispy chicken Crispy calamari Any type of boba Cheers! read more

Used to love this place. I noticed when the guy was ringing me up that the prices are not the same as their pricing on the board, they are charging more. Also my iced Thai tea boba is underwhelming and bland. I ordered Chinese donuts, I remember getting them there before and it was sugary donuts but instead I got round rolls with condense milk and whipped cream. It's not what I ordered nor doesn't taste the same as what Chinese donuts should be. I ordered to go and would be a drive for me to just come back so I decided not to. read more

Tapioca Express - Not Chinese donuts should look like - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Tried the fried tofu snack and banana milk, and I am a fan! The seasoning on the fried tofu is really good. Employees were nice and there's a lot of seats inside. read more

Service and the food ware great. I came with my family and everyone was satisfied. First time here at For Moosa and it didn't disappoint.

the best boba place 100%. the OG for sure. where the he** you ungrateful sons of a ******* at? y'all don't miss the music playing that doesn't match the music video on the tv? or the actual delicious tasting drinks with the popcorn chicken and a game of connect four? bunch of disloyal fools letting TapEx die out :( read more

Tapioca Express - where you ungrateful f***s at? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been coming here for almost 15 years since boba shops used to be extra popping especially on weekends. This place was the ish and where you wanted to be! They would be packed with loud music, people just sitting around talking, and just chillaxing. That was dinosaur ages ago because now when I visit every so often it's been really dead especially with the competition and location. Parking is horrible! The worse! When it did used to be popping and even so recently it's really hard to find parking especially since it's such a small lot with a number of shared businesses in the same plaza. To be honest, 30 minutes to loop around in countless circles never stopped me. They have the BEST snacks here at this location! I know there's a lot of franchises but no I've tried the same items at other locations and it is NOT the same! Once you've had their hot foods here, no other place will compare. I've had their crispy chicken, calamari, fish balls, and Chinese donuts. When u tell them spicy, u will get spicy which I loveeee and their fried basil, heaven! As far as drinks I always get the same ones and scared to venture out a bit. I HIGHLY recommend the ice cream milk tea! I drank that everyday religiously while pregnant. A few others are milk tea, thai tea slushie, strawberry coconut snow bubble with aloe vera, matcha snow bubble, and thai tea snow bubble with vanilla ice cream. I've spent so much money here throughout the years they should really invest in a points reward system. read more

Another awesome boba place (milk tea) with an interesting selection. Customer service was welcoming, and our beverages came out quickly. For sure will be back when in the area. read more

Tapioca Express - three cups of coffee on a counter - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I basically grew up on TapEx and Quickly, so I stopped by out of convenience and nostalgia. I thought if TapEx could still survive as a franchise it must not be terrible right? Wrong, it was worse than what I remembered, and the bar was already pretty low. The classic milk tea 25% sweet had zero tea flavor at all. It was pretty much like drinking nondairy creamer. I couldn't finish it. Every drink is over $5 and they also charge tax on top. Save your money and go elsewhere. Not even nostalgia could save this drink. read more