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    Yu's Cafe

    3.8 (106 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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    Coconut milk with grass jelly
    Raymond Y.

    This petite boba shop has limited indoor seating but stays open late, which is a plus. I ordered a coconut milk with grass jelly around 9pm and ended up waiting over 30 minutes--quite a long time for a relatively simple order When it finally arrived, the dessert came in a basic plastic container that felt a bit cheap. The grass jelly itself was nothing special, and the coconut flavor was barely detectable. For the wait and presentation, I expected a bit more, but I've heard good things about their drinks which I may try next time I'm in the area

    Jen L.

    The kids found this place on Instagram so we came. There was a short line and a ton of old folks sitting at tables outside. We got different egg waffles and a sago mango dessert. The egg waffles were good according to the kids. The sago mango dessert was really watery and didn't have much mango. It was ok.

    Egg waffle with red bean and vanilla ice cream
    Carlo G.

    Decent desserts, but overpriced. I ordered the mango coconut sago and it was tasty, but not worth almost paying $8 for. I liked the sweet coconut milk and sago pearls, but felt that better mango could've been used. I'm not sure if they used Asian mangoes, but it was slightly tart which I wasn't the biggest fan of. My friend tried ordering the Matcha Ice Cream Red Bean Egg Puff, but they ran out of matcha ice cream and had to use vanilla ice cream instead. While the egg waffle and red bean were good, the ice cream had freezer burn and was icy and hard which wasn't the most enjoyable. She also paid close to $11 for it which was not worth it. Would not recommend this spot unfortunately.

    Jeanette S.

    Really nice shop with a variety of delicious hong kong desserts! The shop is quite small but there are a few tables available. I enjoyed the mango sago dessert.

    Aileen L.

    Stopped by Yu's Cafe after the Chinatown Night Market as it was one of the only boba/desert shops still open at 9pm. Unfortunately they were out of boba for the night at this time. It's a cute little cafe with a few tables and chairs inside and on the sidewalk - definitely a little tight on space but enough for a quick stop and chat over desserts. Service is efficient, and I got the mango pomelo sago, which came with quite a generous amount of pomelo (definitely more than what I'm used to getting at other places). It's not too sweet, and the mango wasn't the most flavorful, but it was what I was looking for. My friend got the Mango Sky (?) drink, which was also tasty and pretty to look at as well. Overall, a solid boba shop with a good variety of desserts and snacks.

    Dolores L.

    Definitely a local hang out. The young lady that took & made our order referred to all the local elderly men hanging out having coffee as "the uncles". It was busy and yummy. We ordered an iced espresso with condensed milk & super strawberry tea w mango pops.

    Outside
    Sang Yoon K.

    Very authentic old school boba spot. Osmanthus oolong was solid and the barista knew her stuff because she gave the perfect sugar level suggestion for us. Space is tight so might not be able to find seating!

    Menu
    Jennifer C.

    Yu's cafe is a small boba shop located in Chinatown. There's not much seating inside, so this place is lots of a to-go spot. We came on a weeknight, so service was fairly quick. I got the sesame rice balls in ginger soup. It was a light dessert that had a good black sesame flavor to it. The ginger soup was a little watered down, but I didn't mind it too much. I tried my friend's HK milk tea and it had a strong tea flavor. Overall, if you're looking for a quick boba place while in Chinatown, this place isn't too bad.

    Durian coconut sago with added grass jelly
    Eileen C.

    Nice place for a dessert past 9pm since everywhere else is closed so early! Their sago is solid and they use fresh fruit like fresh durian! There're a few tables for dining in, but the only thing is there is no bathroom for customers.

    Yelp About It!
    Steve D.

    57 Walter U Lum Pl San Francisco, CA 94108 Yu's Cafe is a small drink and dessert shop located across from Portsmouth Square ( and Garage). If you're in the parking garage, and take the elevators up to the park, you're in Portsmouth Square. On a warm August afternoon, I decided to visit this familiar part of San Francisco Chinatown. After walking around the park, I noticed Yu's Cafe. It's a small place, with 4-5 small tables. Large menu boards show their offerings. Service is not very attentive. I'm sure it depends on who is working. But I walk in and nobody is at the counter. I called out "ARE YOU OPEN?" There was no answer. Then I see a QR Menu code taped on the glass. I figured I am to order via phone, and then my drink will magically appear. Then suddenly a young lady pops up and says "Hi, may I take your order?" Okay, I ordered: - Passion Fruit Tea, with Grass Jelly $7.25 50% Sweet, Reg Ice The drink was okay. It was cold and slightly sweet, and satisfied my thirst on a warm day. The grass jelly was clumped on the bottom of the cup. Grass Jelly reminds me of my late Aunt Daisy, who often told me to never pass up the simple pleasure of life.....dessert. Would I return? Yes, if I'm in the area.

    Olive R.

    Great small tea place in the heart of Chinatown. Pretty big selection of teas, flavors and "add-ons". Quality was great and it definitely seems to be a local. 3 tables inside and the park is right outside the door. It does smell like cigarettes in there though.

    Jason L.

    Refreshing! Yu's Café gives off that classic old-school boba shop vibe from before the big chains took over. The boba is steeped in a noticeably sweet syrup, so it's worth adjusting your drink's sugar level if you prefer something more balanced. It's a cozy, nostalgic spot with late-night hours, making it an easy go-to for a quick sweet fix or casual hangout.

    Crystal L.

    A yummy local spot for a dessert I always see grandpas hanging out around here. The drinks are unique and refreshing, and they have so many options. They also have a mango slushy dessert with mochi balls, which is my favorite, but it is a larger portion so I would recommend sharing that with someone. The reason for four star is that it is still quite expensive and the service isn't great but it isn't bad. It seems like there are just one to two people working and they're always busy making drinks.

    Taro coconut sago

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    10 months ago

    The lychee is bomb for com. The service great and the drinks are perfectly sweetened. Highly recommend this establishment

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    7 months ago

    Service was quick and I got an amazing Boba perfect for just walk-ins and overall great experience but if you're not a Boba person don't go

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    1 year ago

    Very very very slow. Ordered two drinks and only two people ahead of me and 20 mins.

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    Ask the Community - Yu's Cafe

    What are the caffeine free boba tea options here?

    There is a Japanese Oolong tea called good night and it has no caffeine.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    4.3
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    This is my favorite dessert spot! I'm not from SF, but whenever I'm in the city, I always stop by…read more The ingredients are always fresh, and the dine-in vibe is so calm and cozy.

    Although they don't serve variations of buttercups, A Buttercup is one of the few dessert houses…read moreoffering Taiwanese-style treats like Bingsoo, Milk Bread Toast, and other Asian fusion creations. I'm always hunting for spots like this because I have a weakness for those over-the-top, Instagram-worthy desserts that look like diabetes in a dish. Like most places in this genre, A Buttercup is small, modern, and minimalist with limited seating. If you plan to go, aim for off-hours unless you enjoy waiting in line for sugar. The decor is cute and trendy, perfect for photos if that's part of your dessert ritual. As they say, "you eat with your eyes first," and when it comes to presentation, this place definitely gets an A+. The desserts look stunning and set high expectations. Unfortunately, that's where things started to crumble. It's like going to see your favorite artist live. You've watched the videos, memorized the songs, and paid for the experience. But instead of the electric performance you imagined, you get someone lip-syncing and barely connecting with the crowd. That was this place in dessert form. We ordered the Mango Bingsoo on our first visit, and when it arrived, we were surprised by how small the portion was. The guy next to us even looked over and said, "Whatever that is, I'm getting that next time." He shouldn't have. The Bingsoo looked great but was bland, and the "snow" was more chunky ice than soft shave. The Thai Tea Roti was also not what I expected. It came with Thai tea ice cream and sauce alongside a roti that was fried to a crunch. Interesting idea, just not the best execution. The sauce and ice cream needed a stronger Thai tea flavor to balance the crispy roti, and the flavors never quite came together. Overall, A Buttercup nails the aesthetics but misses the flavor. If you're here for the photos, you'll be happy. If you're here for the taste, you'll leave with a full camera roll and an unsatisfied sweet tooth.

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    Menu 1 of 2
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    NaYa Dessert Cafe

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    First time trying this place and I was so excited to try this mango sticky rice inspired dessert…read more The crepe was filled with ice cream and sticky rice. The mango was sweet and ripe and the mango sauce was perfect for drizzling on top and it was the most perfect non sweet dessert. It is very tricky to find parking but it's a great place to come hang out with friends and try a different variety of desserts.

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    Photos
    Chocolate Toasted  cr. foodswithyu
    Chocolate Toasted cr. foodswithyu
    Mango Tango  Cr. mitzifood
    Mango Tango Cr. mitzifood
    The chocolate salted egg lava cake, served
warm with a center that gushes out once you cut it open. 
Cr. janeejaneee

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    The chocolate salted egg lava cake, served warm with a center that gushes out once you cut it open. Cr. janeejaneee
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    Photos
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    Photos
    Hōjicha Latte Cheese Foam, 1/2 sweet ($6.30)
    Hōjicha Latte Cheese Foam, 1/2 sweet ($6.30)
    Matcha + Hokkaido Milk Swirl Soft Serve and Matcha Tea with Snow Top
    Matcha + Hokkaido Milk Swirl Soft Serve and Matcha Tea with Snow Top
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    Yu's Cafe - desserts - Updated July 2026

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