The Alley has been around in the Brea Mall for a year now. It's also been around for quite a while, most notably in Fountain Valley but I have never been. Decided to pop in yesterday in the afternoon while my mom was picking out clothes from Zara and I was surprised to see absolutely nobody in the shop. There was a girl working that promptly greeted me and was ready to take my order. I ordered their Passionfruit Green Tea with boba, 25% sweet. I know The Alley is known to have sweet drinks so I went in knowing that. My drink was on the sweeter side but I completely understand since they use syrups but it wasn't overpowering. The green tea base was quite good especially for a boba spot. The boba itself had the perfect texture - slighty chewy and slightly firm. I don't order boba too often anymore but if I'm craving it and I'm at the Brea Mall, I'd definitely give them another shot in the near future. read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

Ok, there should be no reason this place is so low... my honest opinion is that this place is the tastiest boba spot in the entire mall... NOT A HOT TAKE! This place has a very classic flavor of boba milk tea that I expect from boba... the assam black milk tea tastes like how I expect a milk tea to taste: a delightful melange of creamy milk and mysteriously smoky tea, all rounded out with the straightforward sweetness I like in a milk tea... You can order ahead on qr code posted outside, and come back later to pick it up. It's what I tend to do (I browse the uniqlo next door in the meantime). One more thing, and perhaps most importantly for a certain subset of the mall-walking population: ALL THE TEA IS UNCOMPROMISINGLY DAIRY FREE! No need to run to the restroom all of a sudden! Have confidence that when you order, you order with the peace of mind of a consequence-free drink. Although I will say it's a little humid inside, don't know why most boba places are like that... read more

Why so low? My two experiences here have been great. The drinks taste high quality and handcrafted. Both the mango and strawberry drinks I got on separate occasions were a harmony of various flavors and textures. I am esp a sucker for the soft mochi that's gaining popularoty these days, and they incorporated it well. The sweetness was just right. A for presentation as well. Convenient location, just inside the wing of the Brea mall by the new outdoor play area. We even came here despite having just loaded up on a carby meal WITH dessert at the nearby North Italia. :) read more

Had this before in their shop in rowland heights and loved it.. So we were strolling brea mall one day and found this . As usual they deliver on their boba and specialty drinks. Very good and loved it! read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

This boba place is BOMB! Very nice location close to the new area at the Brea Mall accesible to just pick up and leave. The customer service is awesome super friendly and always willing to share the best options and tips. I am obsessed with Number 1! THE beST!!!! I don't believe it is a place to stayed for a long time more like grab and go but quality meets standards and decor is nice .... So well done! read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

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Long lines, wait times depending on people browsing through the menu when ordering from the kiosk/tablet. Employees moving quickly making the drinks, but heard orders getting called out of order - guess it depends on the employee making it and how many drinks. Drinks are good, but can get too sweet. Suggest adjusting if you can. Pretty good size if you want to sit and drink, but employees should keep an eye out when customers leave so they can clean the tables/area. read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

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Located in the Brea mall by the new section where they just put in some new retailers like Zara and Uniqlo. Tried the yogurt drink. Amazing tart flavor reminiscent of the Vietnamese yogurt desserts I've had growing up. The staple brown sugar boba bev was a must. We've been to the mall a few times and glad they're redoing the mall and refreshing it with hip quality food like The Alley! read more

The Alley - brown sugar, rice yogurt drink - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

The Alley is a boba shop chain with locations in Rowland Heights, Fountain Valley, Irvine, and Torrance. I was happy to see this new location open in Brea to reach the North OC area! It's on the 1st floor of Brea Mall's new wing, near Alo and Uniqlo. You can order at the front or at the kiosk (note: they do not accept cash!). The workers at the register have always been very patient and kind with answering my questions about the drinks and snacks they offer. *Strawberry Green Tea: I really liked this one! I'm a fan of the green tea jelly it automatically comes with. The jelly is big, soft pieces that break apart as you drink. It's a fun change from chewing boba, and the cashier mentioned it's made in-house, which is a nice touch. *Lychee Yogurt Smoothie: Tasty and refreshing, especially on a hot day! A creamy smoothie with their house-made lychee jelly. If you like lychee and yakult you'll find the flavor profile slightly similar. *Matcha Croffle: A great dessert! The croffle had a nice crisp exterior and soft interior, and the sweet cream complemented it well. Both of my visits were in the evening after dinner, and my wait was about 5-10 minutes. It can vary depending on when you go since one time after we ordered, a crowd came in and wait times started increasing. Other notes: There's no bathroom inside and no dedicated wifi last I checked, so it's not really a study spot. However, I do think it's the perfect for grabbing a sweet treat or dessert while at the mall. The space is spacious with plenty of seating, so it's a nice place to stop and rest while shopping, or meet with friends to hang out. I'm definitely coming back for the Strawberry Green Tea and that green tea jelly! Congrats to The Alley on opening in Brea! read more

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I'm kind of both surprised and not so surprised about this Demon Slayer promo. The artwork that they included into their drinks is just so cool I had to come here. My order was the Hashira cookies and cream flavor which ended up becoming a litte over 10 dollars. Seems like a pretty expensive deal honestly, but I can't complain with this promotion going on. The service was quick because the kiosk was available, and the workers get on it right away. I'm actually not a fan of the cookies and cream flavor because I feel like it's too much jelly. But at the end of the day, it was worth a try! read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

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Modern new boba spot at Brea mall! I got the strawberry green tea with jelly, I got mine half sweet and my tea was still sweet, I'm glad I got the half because I can't imagine how sweet 100% is. The worker made a good recommendation for my sweetness levels and drink choice, etc! The jelly was tasty and I preferred it over boba :) It does take a little long to get your drink but this is a newer location and it takes time to get the hang of things which makes sense. The lighting is a little dark with no music, I think that could improve the atmosphere. There's plenty of seating and tables making it a good spot to enjoy your drink by yourself or with your favorite people. read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

Review 43/365 Challenge Was excited to see that The Alley was coming to my local mall. I don't need to go to Fountain valley or Rowland heights to get my fix. Love that it's inside the mall at the new wing area. Came here on grand opening weekend day 2, Sunday 4.27.25 They had a BOGO free promo but what i saw a lot say that was misleading a should've been indicated on their social media or flyer was. It was BOGO free Royal Milk Tea. So basically buy any drink and you'll get a Royal Milk tea for free. If this was known before hand. I'd probably possibly not make my trek on over. Since i promised my littles boba drink and they can't have any caffeine of course. I was planning to get 2 brown sugar but instead i ended up having to purchase 2 brown sugar drinks and got 2 Royal Milk for free. i came to the mall just for the Grand Opening special. What we ordered ~ #1 Brown sugar Boba Creme Brûlée was delish. Boba was brown sugar flavored and chewy to perfection. ~ Royal Milk Tea was good. Have somewhat a strong tea aroma after the sip each time. On the sweet side somewhat. I'm a bit bummed you're not able to adjust the sweetness on the drinks at all. Service was great, friendly and fast, Lots of table seatings inside. The shop was clean and nicely decorated. Next to Alley boba shop not far from the newly open Uniqlo & Zara on the 1st floor. Parking here at the mall is busy especially since currently under construction of a new parking along with upcoming apartments being built here. read more

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Place is simple and clean. Service was fine. Tried the Nezuko strawberry yogurt with mochi . Interesting. Probably should have gone with something more basic. Not a fan of the near $10 pricing but I guess it's due to their collab with Demon Slayer? read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

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Came late on the second day of grand opening. Not a huge line, but still busy. Service was fine. Layout is interesting. I got the ube taro deerioca, which I usually get from other locations. I think they missed the taro paste because it tastes a bit off from what I'm used to. Not terrible though. Also purchased a strawberry green tea with jelly which was tasty. Hope to come by again and the drinks improve! read more

The Alley - Came late on the second day of grand opening. Not a huge line, but still busy. - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

This location was pretty on par to other locations I've been to. Service was nice and fast. The drinks are on the sweeter side so I suggest getting less sugar, but other than that drinks are super tasty. read more

The Alley - Merch - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

Demon Slayer - Coconut Mango Mochi Milk ($10) - 2/5 Waiting time was very long at the Brea Location. As they only accepted orders on the machine and there wasn't a big menu to look at while standing in line, people took their time scrolling through the menu... the two people ordering in front of me took 5 minutes each to choose a drink After buying my drink, it took another 20 minutes for it to be made. I got the Demon Slayer collab Inosuke and Zenitsu drink 'Coconut Mango Mochi Milk'. I expected it to have the pretty blue and yellow gradient as shown in the photo but they made it in a paper cup with a demon slayer theme on it. The drink itself was mostly sweet. I prefer the mango coconut drink at HeyTea 100% but unfortunately they aren't open yet. It is also very expensive for a drink so I'd probably choose heytea or chagee when they open next few months. read more

The Alley - Coconut Mango Mochi Milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

Drinks come out relatively quick and the service is great. I usually spring for the lychee smoothie (which is a 5/5), but the Snow Velvet Mango Smoothie was delicious 5/5. There were hearty chunks of mango a the snow velvet topping was perfectly salty. The boba was perfectly chewy. I'd definitely recommend coming. read more

The Alley - Snow Velvet Mango Smoothie and Royal Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

( caution) If you come into this store just to a feel for what they have, you'll be greeted with a very dirty look. So consider other options. read more

Drinks are good but service needs to improve. If posted hours say that the store opens at 10 am, then open at 10 am. Or if opening is running late I would think it would be within reason to at least apologize and say store will be opening at 10:30 am because we're running late. Instead of "hey we're opening at 10:30 today" - didn't realize 10 am was their suggested opening time. read more

Good addition to the mall. I enjoyed the Strawberry Green Tea which had a generous amount of jelly. The Ube cheese cake was also very tasty. The space is very nicely designed with a good amount of seating. Service was good read more

The Alley - Strawberry Green Tea with Jelly and Uber cheese cake - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

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I really wanted to like this place, but my experience left me super disappointed. I came in excited for a boba milk tea and asked if I could make a small adjustment to the ingredients (nothing complicated--just a simple swap). The clerk immediately said they couldn't change anything at all. I figured maybe it was just a misunderstanding, so I politely asked if there was any way to customize the drink. Nope. I ended up speaking with the manager, hoping they might be more flexible or at least willing to help find a solution. Unfortunately, the conversation went nowhere. The response was basically that they don't make substitutions or adjustments under any circumstances. No alternatives, no suggestions, no attempt to make the situation better--just a flat no. I totally understand that businesses have policies, but the tone and lack of willingness to help made me feel like my order didn't matter at all. Boba shops are usually known for customization, so this was honestly surprising and frustrating. I left without ordering anything and felt pretty unhappy about the whole interaction. Customer service goes a long way, and sadly this experience missed the mark for me. I hope they reconsider how they handle simple requests in the future. read more

Came here on Monday, Memorial Day 5/26/2025 around 1pm. ** THEY DO NOT ACCEPT CASH. ONLY CARD OR APPLE PAY! ** == FOOD == I got the Garden Milk Tea, which is essentially just a normal Milk Tea with crushed oreos on top. This is to make it seem like the dirt in a garden. However, it did not come with the little 'plant'. The drink was too sweet, but the texture of their boba was chewy and amazing. == SERVICE == There is one kiosk on the side, and there is a girl at the register. I had a question about a drink and decided to order at the register. Staff was very nice and answered all my questions. == AMBIANCE == There's about 4 small tables, and one big table in this place. However, it's always filled with customers waiting for their drinks. It's still kind of empty and not many decorations yet. read more

Today I visited The Alley and ordered an Oreo Mochi Milk along with a Chocolate Croffle. The Alley has always been one of my favorite boba shops, and as expected, the drink did not disappoint--it was delicious as always. However, the customer service experience wasn't the best this time. Shortly after I placed my order at the kiosk, one of the female staff members (with long dark hair tied back, wearing a black shirt and apron) reacted with an audible "Aww" in a disappointed tone, right in front of the cashier counter. I understand she might not have been thrilled about making the croffle, but it would be more professional to express that in the back area rather than in front of customers. read more

The Alley - Oreo Mochi Milk and Chocolate Croffle - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

Yikes, it's been been a month and the wait is soooo long. And I'm talking about the wait once order is placed. It took 25! Minutes for 2 drinks placed on the kiosk. Came in, Saturday 4 PM when we thought line was doable. Kiosk was only 2 ahead, and they had register open for those with questions. I've been trying to give this location a chance, but now I just can't justify spending $6-8+ for a drink that also comes with 20+ minutes wait in a stuffy space. I did communicate with 2 of the employees , and request they at least put a sign at the register saying drink wait time is MORE than 15 or 20 minutes so customers can choose to leave and come back another time. They said they just opened but there's been no improvement these past weeks. They're not even brewing tea, it's all pre-made and being dispensed. Plenty of other boba spots. Sorry The Alley, this doesn't compare to the other 2 locations I've been to that handle much larger crowds with ease. read more

The Alley - My receipt on latest visit - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

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After the disaster at Chagee, I decided to give The Alley a try -- and I'm genuinely so glad I did. I ordered the Blueberry Yogurt Mochi Milk, and it was such a pleasant surprise. The flavor was incredibly refreshing -- creamy, slightly tangy, and perfectly balanced without being overly sweet. You can actually taste the blueberry and yogurt blend instead of just getting hit with sugar, which I really appreciated. It felt thoughtfully made. The mochi pieces definitely caught me off guard at first (I wasn't expecting mochi in a drink), but once I adjusted, I loved it. The texture was softer and chewier than traditional tapioca boba pearls, and those little bites added something fun and unique that really set the drink apart from your typical milk tea. Service was smooth and efficient. I liked that they had both a kiosk option and someone actively taking orders, which kept things moving. My drink came out quickly, everything tasted fresh, and the overall experience completely turned my afternoon around. I'll definitely be back -- and I'd 100% order this again. read more

This location is located on the 1st floor next to Uniqlo and across from Foot Locker. Their grand opening event was falsely advertised. They said the first 300 customers would get Buy One Get One but instead they gave out their Royal No. 9 Milk Tea (that was bitter and not very sweet). They kept refilling the drawing tickets and withheld their biggest prize iPad until the end of the day to attract more customers. The first loyal 100 customers got a facial mask. I love The Alley but not this location. read more

Great Menu, food & service! And it's close by me !!! Order extra dishes to take home for the 10:00pm news & breakfast!!! read more

My new favorite boba place. The purple rice matcha yogurt is so yummy. Highly recommended.

Clean and pristine. Got #1 their brown sugar creme brulee deerioca with oat milk. The serivce was quick and pleasant. The drink was soooo goood! read more

The Alley - Brown sugar creme brulee deerioca - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

Walked in and they have a kiosk where you can order. There was a couple customers using it to order, and also someone at the register. I asked the girl at the register if I could order from her, or if I HAD to use the kiosk. She said I could use the kiosk if I wanted. I was like...but can I order from you. She said yes. *facepalm* All these places want to ask you for a tip, yet they can't even work to earn it. They don't take cash, so you have to use a card...then they charge you a 3% fee for using it. These drinks are not that good. Only reason I gave more than one star is because the Croffle was actually pretty good. Still not worth coming here for it unless I just happen to be at the mall and suddenly have a craving. read more

Drinks are great and service was prompt! Team was very friendly and helpful. Nice new addition to Brea Mall alongside the new Uniqlo/Zara read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

Ian gon lie ts boba was vom. te store smelled like a stroom, particularly replicating that of a men's gas station restroom. da boba lowk was js milk with syrup nd boba. no main menu explaining what's in the drink. Evil Disneyland priced ahh boba. read more

The ALLEY BREA would not accept my cash to pay for my order. I was told I could only use a debit/credit card for payment then was charged a fee to use my card? This was unfortunate. I should have the option to pay with cash and avoid any additional fees. *****It's illegal for a restaurant in the U.S. to refuse cash as payment, as cash is considered legal tender according to the Federal Reserve.**** read more

Awesome taste ! So clean & just right amount of blending well Boba drink nicely explain what Boba each items! Definitely come back again read more

Good overall milk tea shop. I usually get Assam milk tea or Royal 9. Wish they had better variety.

The Brown Sugar Deerioca Crème Brûlée Milk Boba is a decadent and satisfying drink for any boba lover. The creamy milk is swirled with rich brown sugar syrup, creating a beautifully sweet and caramelized flavor. The crème brûlée topping adds a dessert-like touch with a slightly torched finish. The "Deerioca" pearls are soft, chewy, and warm, offering a deep, molasses-like taste that pairs perfectly with the cool, creamy base. It's indulgent and rich--definitely more of a dessert than a drink. While it may be too sweet for some, it's a great treat when you're craving something special and comforting. read more

The Alley - Brown sugar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

20 minute wait for 3 drinks....? I got a simple tea with no add-ons and the Oreo & strawberry milk series drink. People after us ordered the same drinks and got them before us. My brother threw away his strawberry milk drink b/c it wasn't good. Waste of $7 and the tip we left. Maybe if today's staff stopped yapping and paid attention to the orders the wait wouldn't have been insane for 3 drinks and an almost empty store. read more

The Alley - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

Not sure what The Alley is known for, so I never had the desire to try it. Now that there is one at the Brea mall, I finally gave it a try. Ordered the Ube brown sugar deerioca creme brulee milk. Couldn't find anything I liked about this drink. It tasted like sweet water with lumps of custard. Didn't taste any hint of ube, couldn't taste the creaminess of the milk, boba was nothing special. What's worse is this drink has 1117 calories. I threw it away after a few sips, it was a big disappointment and not worth the calories! read more

The Alley - Ube brown sugar creme brulee - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

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Drinks OK. SUPER SLOW service and employees. Line out the door and people waiting on orders but fulfilling orders at a snails pace. Sorry, but not worth the wait. read more

i ordered the crème brulee deerioca cafe latte which had weird chunks of white stuff all over it that made me grossed out to drink it. i have no idea what it was, but it wouldn't go away even after mixing and shaking really well. i even waited till i got home so i could strain it out, but it wouldn't even go away after being strained 3 times. i won't be coming back. read more

The Alley - mysterious chunky stuff - Bubble Tea Near Me - Brea, California

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Such great boba oh my! The taste of the honey boba is so different than most places but it's amazing!