Thank you Kenny for taking the time to educate us on Tea, the tasting of different types of tea, listening to the history is exactly the experience we were looking for to better undestand how they may help health wise & the benefit of enjoying good natural tea. Enjoyed & laughed much thru out our visit it was great! Came home & enjoyed a nice cup of Blue people Ginseng Oolong definetly will be back read more

I took a Chinatown walking tour offered by my hostel, which included a stop at this location of Vital Tealeaf for a tea tasting. WOW! What a cool experience! I have always liked tea, but really knew next to nothing about it. Well, that's all changed now. Katina, our host, served us samples of a variety of different teas and explained the differences and health benefits of each one. She was very friendly and knowledgeable. We even got to meet Uncle Gee, who told us he would be 90 next year, but he looks like he is in his early 60s, and moves around like someone in his 30s. He said he attributes his youthfulness to a lifetime of drinking tea. After the walking tour was over, I went back to the shop for some one-on-one discussion with Katina. She was very helpful in answering my questions, allowing me to taste different teas, and assisting me with making my selections. With my having no experience with using loose tea, she recommended an easy to use press-type teapot, and showed me how to use it. Now that I am home, I tried my new tea and teapot this morning and it was SUPER simple to use and the tea was delicious! I am now a tea drinker and look forward to learning more about tea and discovering new and different types of tea. Vital Tealeaf has a website with lots of info on its teas, and I plan to order more of their high-quality teas in the future. Definitely make this a stop on your San Francisco itinerary, and plan to spend at least an hour. It's a nice little oasis in the hustle and bustle of Chinatown! read more

Kenny was great. He gave us nice history of great teas... and the best tea tasting... it was short and sweet.

We came in to quickly taste a few teas buy what we liked and leave. However we ended up spending over 2 hours here and being thoroughly educated and entertained by Kenny. This tea room was a highlight of our visit. Kenny may seem off putting at first, but don't let it deter you, he's just passionate. If you can "hang" you won't regret it. read more

Don't be thrown off by the owner/staff at the store when you first walk in. He comes off a bit rude at first, but he grows on you. He mentioned that he's had a lot of fake/tourist-y people come in the shop and make racist comments, which understandably has turned him into a skeptic of people that come in to try tea. I came in last week with a friend and we asked him if we could try some teas (as there was a sign outside that said "free tea tasting"). After a bit of a rough start, he finally started pouring different kinds of tea for us: black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong tea, rose water, etc. They were all incredibly different in terms of taste and each one had a different purpose. The benefits of drinking each kind of tea vary depending on what you're looking for. Along with the tea tasting, we got a great history and explanation of the teas that we were trying. Even though I didn't buy anything, I have recommended this place to a bunch of people because it's truly a great place to get tea if you're serious enough to pay big bucks for it. read more

This place is absolutely terrible! Don't fall for the free tea tasting! It'll ruin your day. I thought that it would be a fun thing to do with my grandmother and I am so glad that I tried it out first. The staff was rude and pushy. I was deeply offended by the way that I was treated. This place does sell some good teas, but they are far from affordable. The affordable teas that they have are just low quality tea in high quality packaging. If you want gourmet tea, maybe you should try Stockton street where the local Chinese people shop. You can get good quality jasmine pearls, tea roses, etc. for less than half the price of this tea shop. I've been to every store on Stockton street, and many on the cross streets, pricing out tea. You can routinely find bagged tea (some of it very good) for $2 per 100 bags. I recommend checking out the wide variety of teas at Ming Lee grocery on Jackson st. I bought a cube-shaped box of green tea there that my grandma was very impressed with. read more

Incredibly rude staff, the most unhelpful and disgusting service I have ever received in San Francisco. Stay away from this place if you don't already know the exact type of tea you want to try and buy otherwise they will treat you like an idiot. read more

My wife and I found Vital Tealeaf three years ago amongst the shops in China Town of San Francisco. We were so impressed with the knowledge Kenny the manager had about tea's from around the world. Before long we were laughing and socializing with people we had never met. That's just the kind of place Vital Tealeaf is. The bar was full of people waiting for the next warm and flavorful tea Kenny would serve. My wife works for a large corporation where expatriates visit from around the world and if we have taken them to Vital Tea before, this is one of the first places they want to visit again when they return, even some from Asia. Although the tea is a bonus, it's the personality and charm of Kenny and his employees behind the bar that always brings them back again and again. This place is very clean as are the bathrooms as well. Kenny introduced me to Blue People, Ginseng Oolong tea, three years ago and I have been drinking the tea ever since. This tea gives you a mental high and focus that allows you work with such mental alertness and focus like I've never had before. Just like Kenny said it would. If you're in China Town on Grant Street stop by and visit Kenny and his many friendly people who work at Vital Tealeaf. I promise you won't be disappointed. Sincerely, Tony King read more

This was definitely an experience. I'm glad I can let people know that there are two of these tea sampling bars on Grant Ave. My friend came up to the city from stanford, and it's funny when a tourist is able to show a local a great place they've never been in SF We spent at least an hour simply sipping tea after tea. It was awesome. You pull up a stool behind what's really a tea bar and you get a small cup placed in front of you (there was room for about 20 people in the place) We tasted at least 15 different types of tea, I don't think I realized there were even that many. We were entertained by Kenny, he was amazing, he told stories, he was informative and he told us what really goes into a teabag. I actually stood up at one point after about an hour to go to the bathroom and I was lightheaded from drinking so much tea, it was awesome If you do plan on going and tasting a lot of tea, do be prepared to buy some, it's more expensive than I thought, it's all loose leaf, but you can get pots or different appliances with strainers that work with it really well. For a quarter of a pound of "Golden Throat" Ginseng Oolong it cost me $30, these guys don't mess around. But after over an hour of trying a bunch of teas and listening to a bunch of Kenny's hilarious stories(Kenny is his english name btw, he also told us his chinese, korean, and mexican names and why we shouldn't drink at starbucks) it was worth it, I mean we easily drank over $30 in one sitting. I'm glad I can put this place on the map because I really didn't want to give them 5 stars, but for what I was expecting, and what I got, I had every reason to give them 5. read more

This was a super fun place to try teas and shop. The lady who worked there was very knowledgeable and have us several different teas to try. She had a great spirit and was very friendly. The teas were delicious. We went with 11 people and we were all able to try and enjoy the teas. The blue people was our favorite. read more

First time I went, fun, tea I bought was good and lasted a long time. This time around, I kind of lost my patience with the Kooky Staff and was more annoyed by the SAME stories I heard a few years ago. I'd rather just find a place that I can just ask for what I want since I have my standard favorites with out the dog and pony show. read more

Have been coming to Vital Leaf for years. I thought I knew about tea, but I got schooled by Kenny. :-) Wouldn't think of purchasing tea anywhere else, and I always refer friends and colleagues. Wishing everyone at Vital Tea Leaf much prosperity for the New Year - 2018! read more

Vital Tea Leaf - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

We did a tea tasting with Herman, and he was awesome. He let us taste a ton of tea, and explained the differences really well. They do an awesome job of finding out what tea fits your lifestyle and make you feel so welcome. A must visit place in Chinatown. read more

I love tea and learned so much while tasting tea here with my husband. Could sit here for hours. Welcoming and knowledgeable staff, tons of different tea, and great atmosphere. We will be back! read more

Love this place. The owner seems to be very knowledgeable in what he is doing. I love his attitude because it's so refreshing in us to get dimenzi so talks straight. I will be back for sure. Even if just for the experience read more

and by the way, their Jasmine Pearls and their tea blooms are really good too!

Come for a tea tasting and pick what you like, the tea just keeps coming. Very funny, if somewhat offensive, tea master talks about tea as you drink. Wide array of teas. Best if you're looking for loose leaf tea and want to learn. They are way more liberal with samples than other tea shops in Chinatown. read more

I came to Chinatown with my dad who has been a tea enthusiast for several years (he is also an herbalist/acupuncturist). We were headed to Red Blossom tea room but after horrible service, stuffiness and high prices we left and found this place. The staff at Vital Tea Leaf were incredibly knowledgeable and provided great, comfortable service. We did not feel like we were intruding or didn't belong, like at Red Blossom. Instead, we felt welcomed and the environment was inviting. The tea was very high quality and they poured us probably 10 different teas to try without us even asking. They taught us all about several varieties of tea and how to prepare it. We purchased several types of tea and tea ware. I am a huge fan, and we will be return customers for years to come. read more

This is the best place to do a tea tasting in San Francisco. I have been to other tea houses and they do no compare. The staff is very knowledgeable and nice. I learned a lot about tea and ended up purchasing the blue tea. read more

Never been to a tea tasting, and wouldn't call myself a big tea drinker, but this tasting was so much fun. The host was very knowledgable and made the whole experience quite fun. Recommended for any tourist or native. read more

Came in to grab some macha really quickly and was prompted to sit down for the tea tasting... really really funny Chinese grandfather was hosting, aptly named "Uncle," he was a riot. It's def a good place for tourists, I'll prob take my parents here the next time there in town. read more

My friend wanted to get tea. I wasn't sure if she meant a "to-go" tea or what not, but we ended up here because the gentleman behind the counter was a character last time we passed by. As we're both caffeine-free, we sat down for a free tasting of several herbal teas and got the full stories on each one. I ended up with one that supposedly has calming qualities, and a fancy tea press. Not a cheap spontaneous tea fix, but worth it for the show. read more

The saleman is so courteous and really knows what he is talking about. They also haggle ;) Let the salesman pick out the tea for you (you have to give them a starting point!). They sell by the pound, which is A LOT of tea, but you can buy 1/2 lb, 1/4 lb or even 1 oz! Each lb of tea will last an avid tea drinker a few months. By my calculations, my 4 oz canister of leaves will make 138 cups of tea--all for $20. That's cheaper than tea at the grocery store! read more

We had amazing service. She let us try several types of tea did a great job at explaining how to properly steep. Never felt any pressure that you feel with typical pushy salesmen. read more

Spent a wonderful afternoon with the incomparable Kenny!! What a treat. I encourage everyone to go support this wonderful tea shop! The teas are delicious! read more

Heard about this place from a friend, so when we were in the city we checked it out. The employees are really nice! They give you free tasting, and talk to you and explain the tea. I LOVED IT! We had heard about the owner Uncle Gee, but he wasnt there. :( They dont pressure you into buying anything, and they are extremely helpful with recommendations. Try the Lichee Tea! read more

What a great place! Uncle and Kenny made us feel right at home and introduced us to some fantastic tea and a nice, calming afternoon of tea.

Great tea testing experience. It's free.. and you get educated about benefits of tea. Kenny served us tea and it was pure entertainment! Almost like a wine testing, but without alcohol. read more

Vital Tea Leaf - Tea testing - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

Just had a very similar experience as Ryan D. Kenny was rude and would not even speak to me. Proceeded to talk to two other guys trying to get them to join him at ridiculing me for asking for a good oolong and his recommendations. He sloshed down a weakly brewed cup of I do not know what without even telling me what it was. I ended up walking out and going two doors down to Red Blossom where I got much better service. They helped me pick out 3 very nice teas. I work in a wine retail shop and would never treat a potential paying customer this way, even if they were novices. I don't care how knowledgable you are about your product - you do not talk down to customers. read more

This is a wonderful shop for someone who enjoys high quality loose leaf teas or would like to learn. The staff is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. That being said, Kenny is a first rate smart @$$ so bring your sense of humor and you will laugh your way through tea tasting and learning. Honestly, this was one of the best hours we spent on the our trip just sipping tea and shooting the breeze with Kenny. We ended up with some amazing teas that are tailored just for us based on what we said we liked. The staff is amazing as listening to your preferences/interests and leading you to the perfect fit. Great place for someone who loves tea and wants quality loose leaf and an equally great place for someone interested in learning about tea. read more

Generous free tea tastings which is one the main thing loved, super friendly and smiling asian lady host. I got to try more than 10 teas there which is unusual for most places. All the Teas were very good, wont say it is amongst the best i have tried and very exotic though but you will not be disappointed by their quality. Only feedback i would like to give it to the owner is, the minimum quantity required to be purchased is quarter pound which can be expensive for someone who want to try more tea varieties than sticking on to one single tea variety so please sell in smaller portions as well read more

You can't get much better tea than this. It's always a great time visiting this spot. My boyfriend has been coming here for years and now I'm hooked on their tea! They help you find the tea that suits you the best, and always give honest opinions/clearly do not push teas that they don't truly like. They are extremely knowledgable and friendly. Kenny is the man! read more

I stopped by a few years ago while in SF on business. I was browsing through China Town and looking for something to bring home. I decided on tea and not knowing where to go, decided on Vital Tea Leaf. It ended up being a good choice. The staff was great. They asked questions, trying to see what types of tea I might like, then provided many samples to try. They were helpful and not rushed to make the sale. It was a very good experience and I am thankful to the staff for the help as their selection was incredible. Too many to choose from. I have become a big fan of the Lichee Black. read more

What a great place for true aficionados of leaf tea as well as for those with a passing interest. I have been three times and have always been helped by May. What a wonderfully nice and knowledgeable guide through the variety of teas they offer! (On my first return after a couple of months she couldn't remember my name but did remember what I sampled and what I bought!) So many tastes from the different teas (not herbal infusions) - grassy, smoky, woody, nutty... Sample them and ask questions, May and the others can answer all your questions and lead you in the right direction. If you think the prices are high, do remember that these teas can be re-steeped up to six times. So twenty dollars for a couple of ounces (by weight) can literally produce hundreds of cups. And this is real tea with real flavors. (Tea bags compared to this are like frozen concentrate oranges juice compared to freshly squeezed, i.e. there is no comparison.) So go already! You'll totally enjoy yourself. read more

Let me start off by saying that this is my 5th or 6th time at Vital tea leaf, but my first time at this particular store. Do yourselves a favor and go to a Vital tea leaf next door. The customer service at this place was dreadful. Maybe the worst I've gotten in my entire life. I had a friend visiting me from France who wanted to taste and purchase authentic tea. I happily took him to Vital tea leaf because i had a terrific past experience at a nearby store. Unfortunately this time around we were sorely dissatisfied. The moment we sat down at the table the lady who I presume to be an owner/manage of the place turned to us and before saying hello or welcome told us that this was not a place to get free tea so if that's why we were there for we could basically get out. I explained to her that I enjoyed their tea very much and my friend wanted to sample some before he purchased. Bear in mind that the entire concept of the store is to sample. After ignoring us for 10 minutes she finally tuned to my friend and asked him what was it exactly that he was looking for. My friend told her that he was experiencing anxiety and couldn't sleep well at night and needed something to calm his mind with. She told him, verbatim, to go drink Jack Daniels because tea was not for sleep aid. Reinstating that we would not find anything there. A blatant lie since I myself have brought calming jasmine tea from there on many occasions. As we set there speechless waiting for our Uber to pick us up, a male owner of the place without speaking a word to us gave us something to try. After that we just left. read more

Awesome experience. Sat down for a tea tasting session with the owner and had a blast. Great guy, very knowledgeable, funny. Highly recommend. Ended up buying some loose leaf tea and couldn't be happier. Highly recommend. read more

They offer free tea tasting. I didn't see any sales pressure from staff which I think is really cop. Their knowledgeable staff will explain you different types of teas and their health benefits. I tasted 4 different teas and ended up buying Ginseng Oolong tea and Angel Green tea. read more

False promises!!! Beware of this tea room, they sold me a bunch of Angel Green tea saying it would cleanse the blood of sugar. Been drinking 2 to 3 cups of the tea and my blood tests came out worst. Buyer beware. When I called about returning the unused, unopened canisters of tea they said they don't take returns. read more

I came here to buy tea and I had questions about the tea. I was hoping to sample some of them before buying. He responded in an insulting manner and turned to others with a forced laugh as if he was trying to get them to laugh along with him while he was being a jerk. He seemed to have an argumentative tone like he was looking to pick a fight for his own amusement. I asked for a tea with a floral or spice aroma hoping to try something different with a flavor of bergamot, rose, or cardamom. He gave me the worst cup of over extracted jasmine pearl tea I have ever tasted! It was disgusting! I had a mouthful of bitter tannins and couldn't even enjoy the delicate jasmine flavor! I watched as he insulted numerous customers after they left. Instead of paying a premium for bitter tea at this fancy tea room I opted to go two doors down to buy tea at a tea and herb shop. I saw other customers who had been at Vital tea there. They were friendly and seemed very knowledgeable about the product they were selling. I will never go back to this location of Vital Tea again! read more

Awesome place to learn about and buy tea. We were able sample many different teas. The owners were able to answer our questions about which teas we could use to help with cholesterol, metabolism, etc. This place will definitely be my go to place for tea!! read more