The Alley

The lychee green tea is very good at this location. None of the other locations even comes close, if they even offer it. Their traditional boba brown sugar milk is also a standout. Thirst quenching and leans towards dessert rather than drink, and there is nothing wrong with that. I'm a big anime fan and I love the collaboration. Last time I was here, it was Spy X Family and this time it's My Hero Academia! Service is good. Casual. Please come and create your own experience.

I've been wanting to try The Alley for a while now, so when I saw it in the Ala Moana Center, I had to stop in to grab a tea. Their menu had a section noting their specialties, another section with their Top 5 and multiple items outside those categories with a little antler symbol that I assumed meant "recommended". Interestingly, there wasn't a clear overlap between any of them (i.e. one of their Top 5 was neither a special nor recommended), so I didn't overthink it and selected their SNOW VELVET PEACH OOLONG TEA ($6.75 + $0.95 for boba), which was marked with the antlers. The "snow velvet" is their version of cheese foam which I thought was verrrry salty compared to what I've had elsewhere. Not a bad thing, per se, but I wish they provided cups with sippable lids in order to enjoy a bit of foam with each sip. Instead, my cup was topped with the typical plastic film covering. That said, I'd recommend mixing the foam in from the beginning to get it evenly dispersed. Overall, I thought my drink was okay. Despite my customization of 25% sweetness, my first several sips were extremely peachy before mellowing out to a more apparent tea flavor. At first, I thought the drink was just overly sweet but I realized my tea probably wasn't mixed very well. This is another reason I would have given it a stir to balance it out, had I known. While the tea could have been better executed, I really enjoyed the boba which had a good bouncy texture and was not inherently sweet. At $0.95, the cost is on the steeper side, but was worth it in terms of quality. In general, drinks here are on the pricier end with the cheapest starting at $6.45, and the addition of toppings raises it by almost $1.00. If you're seeking a refreshing drink while exploring Ala Moana, The Alley is not a bad option. They have a pretty diverse menu, so while I wouldn't order my same drink again, I may be open to giving it another try sometime. 3.25 stars.

I'm a bit baffled at how the royal no 9 milk tea is one of the top five drinks. It is black tea infused with blueberry. It tasted like the nasty grape flavored medicine my dad used to force me to drink when I was young and sick. It's rare that I don't finish my boba drinks, but I took two sips and couldn't bear to finish it :(My husband ordered Assam milk tea with boba. The drink itself was decent. I do wish the boba had a chewier consistency and was sweeter.

Yummy drinks and quick service. Last time I went I got their strawberry mochi drink. The drink itself was tasty however the mochi was not it lol. Pasty and grainy. Can order at the tablet up front or with one of the workers. Located across from Shabuya in Alamoana.

Delicious. Friendly and fast service. Helpful with suggestions. Always busy but today it was empty until I took time to order. lol

Top tier boba place! Their boba was chewy and not over sweet. I love that I can choose less boba in the drink. Service: order at kiosk and they call your name.Ambiance: locate inside the huge shopping mall so you can find lots of sitting around the area. Good place to hang out with friends or relax during long shopping day.

Absolutely love the strawberry mochi smoothie! I usually like the crème brûlée Deerioca drink but I wanted something different and light tonight... something fruity but not too sweet.. the strawberry mochi smoothie for the bill perfectly!

I'm still giving this place 5 stars. Drinks are always good no matter what you order. Today my friend and I walked in when it wasn't so busy. Good timing. The lady at the register was nice And efficient. We didn't wait too long for our drinks. They have the top 5 drinks listed. I decided to get the strawberry green iced tea with half sugars And it had jelly and pieces of strawberries. So good and refreshing. Highly recommend.

Good boba. Conveniently located across from shabuya in Ala Moana mall. It's usually busy but service is quick! You order on the kiosk or they take your order. I like the chill aesthetic inside as well.

3.5 stars for solid brown sugar boba and decent assam tea (with non dairy creamer). Did not feel a lot of caffeine and 25% was too sweet - would recommend 0%. They offer a variety of fruit teas and non caffeinated options, and order online options to skip the line. The line moved fast though they were very efficient! I know this is a chain, well loved in LA, but I am not sure if I would return - the kids loved it though :)