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    The Alley

    3.9 (120 reviews)
    ModerateBubble Tea
    Closed 12:00 pm - 11:30 PM

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    Brown sugar series taro
    Nicole C.

    I was around the area so I had to come here! First off, aesthetically it's nice. I ordered the ube/taro brown sugar series. I liked how they added actual taro root besides the ube coloring. It was pretty expensive for the cost but it was definitely a good go to for a semi hot day.

    Peach Oolong w/ Grass Jelly
    Nora C.

    The Alley Ratings: 4.1/5 Food: 4.25/5 - My boyfriend and I came here after our dinner, because we wanted something refreshing. The Alley is a classic boba chain and I've been a couple of times. I like the fact that they are pretty consistent throughout all of their locations, and they served some delicious milk tea drinks. Please read the descriptions below for more details on the drink that I got. - Peach Oolong [GET]: It's a really refreshing drink, and this is my first time trying it. You cannot adjust the sugar for this drink, but I did get it with less ice. Surprisingly, it was not that sweet at all, in fact I could have it a bit sweeter. There's an entire tea bag in it, but I like the strong oolong tea flavor, and not too bitter. I just wished the peach flavor was more present, since I mainly tasted the oolong. The herbal jelly was nicely prepared, chewy and bouncy, and it tasted fresh. Ambiance: 4.25/5 - As soon as we walked in, there's a big tree in the center that caught my attention, because the decor looks a lot like a speakeasy (called Wild Orange) that I have been to in Oahu, Hawaii. The interior of The Alley is quite dark and dimly lit with a good amount of indoor seating available; it is small and narrow. This location is generally on the less busy side, so probably a good spot for a date night. Price: 4/5 - My boyfriend and I each got a drink, and he treated me. I think my drink was $6 before tax and didn't come with any topping, so I added herbal jelly for extra cost. The prices are pretty standard for a tea drink, and I was pretty satisfied with it. The cups are cute too. Service: 3.75/5 - There's two staffs working there, one taking orders while the other one making the drinks. It is the typical boba shop customer service you would expect, nothing too special or outstanding. Also, I think it got a bit busy after we walk in, so it did take them a while to make the drinks, at least 15+ minutes. BLUF: Your classic and more popular boba chain in the GTA. They have a large selection of milk tea and fruit teas, and the ingredients are always fresh, and flavors are always consistent. I would recommend give them a try if you haven't, and I highly recommend their new Ube drink or if you are looking for something on the lighter side, then get the fruit teas. I want to return to try their Honey Aloe drink, because I heard it is even more refreshing than the one I got today.

    Crunchy tiramisu
    Swetha R.

    Tried the crunchy tiramisu and it was amazing. Felt like I was drinking an actual tiramisu. I didn't like the tapioca in it that much but the crunchy texture was great. I normally stick to trio or royal number 9 but I'm glad I branched out. I have a new favourite

    Outside
    Calvin L.

    The Alley has locations all across Toronto and they are all very consistent in the way they make their bubble tea. We've been having their Deerlica Fever as a hot beverage and it comes to about $7 for each drink. This particular location is generally quiet with few customers. However it is quite small and narrow so there is not much space to wait for your order. If there is a party ahead of you, you'll have to maneuver around them as you place your order and then pickup as you get deeper into the store. One tip is to download The Alley app, order and pay through your phone, and simply pickup your order when you get there. You can also start collecting points so after collecting points for 10 drinks, you get a free drink!

    Ube Puff
    Joseph O.

    I had the Ube Puff which is a seasonal flavor. It was delicious, and tastes custardy! I really like it!

    Ruby A.

    First impression? Right up my alley! This place is definitely cool and hip. The Midland location is on the cozy side, with dim lighting, and the décor is rustic with dark wood and exposed red brick walls. The aisle between the cashier/counter and some tiny tables and chairs is very tight; you'll need to squeeze by when there is a lineup. There are other places to sit ... a few stools beside a live tree near the front entrance, some counters by the sidewall, and in the back of the café. I'm not sure if their other 11 locations (at last count) are more spacious ... I find the drinks are pricey, and on the smaller side. While the cups are cute, the regular size cup is soft and squishy due to the rounded bottom. We were excited the try the Deerioca Fever, which is their ever-popular signature drink. The tapioca pearls are soaked in a brown sugar mixture, which supposedly adds a rich caramel flavor. So sad, they were sold out! We decided to try their Snow Strawberry Lulu from the Lulu Fresh Fruit Series. They had a 50% off promo for Canada Day. I asked for a large size but it only came in regular. It took a while for our drinks; however, the cashier did inform us there would be a bit of a wait. Our SS Lulu's had a strong strawberry flavor with bits of mashed strawberry. What I didn't like were the tiny bits of ice cubes that we got with each sip! The drink itself was quite watered down. The cream on top however, was very rich, sweet and delicious. I personally would not pay $6.00 each (regular price) for this particular series though. Service was a bit inconsistent, as some staff were more personable than others were. We'll have to go back and try their Deerioca series. I also heard the Royal No. 9 milk tea is quite good.

    Crunchy Tiramisu Milk
    Crystal L.

    This is their new series - the crunchy Milk Tea. 3 different flavours 1. Crunchy coco milk tea 2.crunchy brown sugar milk tea 3. Crunchy Tiramisu milk tea I tried the tiramisu milk tea. The drink takes a bit longer time to make than regular drinks. (Roughly 10 mins to make). I love tiramisu, so i gave it a try. Its actually not bad at all! Taste exactly like a tiramisu cake, but more on the slushy side. Its just like eating the cream of the tiramisu, but not the sponge cake (if that makes sense) Its very thick and creamy. Super satisfying and flavourful! I just wish it comes in a bigger size since it is more $$ than regular drinks. I personally would also prefer it without tapioca/peals (if you love tapioca, good for you), I just think there is too much going on. I think this drink is perfect already with the crunchy cereal and coco powder on top, while sipping through the tiramisu cream and milk tea.

    Royal No.9 Milk Tea
    Jake L.

    This used to be one of our favourite bubble tea spots, but these past few months it's let us down. Our biggest complaint is the tapioca, which has been tough, chewy, and disappointing. I'm not sure what they are doing differently but it's a lot worse now and very noticeable. Although the flavour of the teas are still very good, it seems like we get inconsistent levels of sweetness each time even though we always ask for 50%. Lastly, inside is usually very overcrowded with too many people in such a tight space. It is pretty uncomfortable and sometimes it feels like we have to push our way out once we've got our drinks.

    Northern lights (left) morning dew (right)
    Joy H.

    This is a really aesthetically pleasing bubble tea shop. The staff are all ready enthusiastic and nice. We ordered the aurora series northern lights (raspberry) and morning dawn (mango). The cashier let us know the drinks would take 20 minutes to make, which we were fine with because we were planning to just sit around and chat for a while. The drinks were very pretty, but in all honesty, they're just slushy juice--very chunky slush too. It was very sweet but nice and cold though. Honestly not worth it for as an actual drink but you can get it for the 'gram if you're into that. Note: this review is quite delayed, I was here in December 2017 so I don't know how much the place has changed since then

    two cups of bubble tea on a table
    Abigail G.

    Tried their new ube derrioca puff drink. The Ube was a more subtle flavour, the milk and brown sugar pearls really overpowered it. It's also a pricey drink so would have hoped for a bit more ube flavour. It's not a bad drink but I wouldn't buy it for the ube.

    Yan W.

    Environment: very cool. I really like deer so the decorations really caught my attention. The area was small but it felt really cozy. Staff: the person who served me had so so English and I misunderstood her but!!! She was patient with me and was kind. Other workers were working hard making the drinks (ranged from $5.00-7 CAD). Drink: original milk tea, half sweet and regular ice. For me...it was still a tad too sweet. I should pick 1/3 and I think it would be better. However, the tea was very smooth and the flavor was nice. I enjoyed it very much, just a little less sweet the better for me. The price was a little expensive too but since I'm just a visitor, a little more for decent boba is fine. I would come back again next year to try another milk tea and ask for a hint of sugar.

    Joyce L.

    Revisited Alley after having a conversation with the owner. There was no line up this time around. The drinks were so different than our last visit. We came back for the same drinks. My companion and I both agree that Alley is back to its former glory. The drinks taste exactly how we remember it. The jasmine tea was fragrant. Everything is just the way it was suppose to be. Thank you so much!

    Passion fruit green tea with tapioca
    Sugunthan S.

    This place is awesome! I come here all the time. The customer service is outstanding. The atmosphere is pleasant and the drinks are amazing. Can be busy and seating can be limited on a Friday or Saturday night. Nonetheless, the drinks, are worth visiting The Alley.

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