Boba Bee
★★★★☆ 4.2 (119) • $$
"It was the best of Boba Bees, it was the worst of Boba Bees.I guess it only makes sense to continue with these literature-related intros if my visits to the Long Beach Boba Bee entail shortcomings with discounted drinks.I wanted to give this Boba Bee another try after the debacle that was the Watermelon Lemonade at the conclusion of summer. I've since learned that the same employees work at both the Long Beach and Lakewood locations, so my ratings for the two different locations could have easily flip-flopped in an alternate world.If the same employees work at both locations, you would think that both would have the same ratings. However, after visiting both locations at least twice, I've noticed a statistically significant difference between the two that I'm still bewildered by the stark contrast in my experiences, hence the Charles Dickens intro.Until November 24, you can try their Stinger drink for $1 with any drink purchase. I had just visited nearby Rancho Los Alamitos and wanted to treat myself to a couple of drinks. I wanted one for that day and the other for the next day when I was planning to do laundry.As soon as I came in, a bobarista welcomed me and fielded my questions regarding the Stinger and the Creme Brulee series. She was pleasant and sweet, but needed help from a male co-worker if the Stinger was a caffeinated drink as well as physically ringing up the Stinger for $1 at the register.The wait was 3-4 minutes before my drinks were ready; I sat at a bench by the front door, but the bench was kind of wobbly, just like one of the tables from the Lakewood location. Only difference here is the type of furniture lol.They didn't offer a takeout bag or a drink carrier, so I had to be careful carrying out the drinks, straws, and my receipt. Unfortunately, the Stinger was a literal stinger to my clothes! As I was carrying the Stinger, some of the drink had spilled onto my shirt and jacket! I had thought the Stinger was leaking from the bottom, but turns out it was leaking at the seal! They didn't seal that drink correctly! See the video I posted alongside this review: after tilting the cup, some of the drink spilled out, so I had to be super careful and keep the cup upright while drinking the Stinger. I think that's why that drink was only $1, and good thing this happened *before* I did my laundry lol.The Stinger tasted great though, even when I saved it for the next day. There are plenty of fruit bits and *gasp* another lemon slice^!The Oreo Creme Brulee, on the other hand, had no issues with the seal. I tested this by giving the cup a few shakes after inserting the straw through the seal, and it only leaked through the hole made by the straw. I enjoyed the Oreo Creme Brulee, but not as much as I'd like since the flavor didn't come out as strong. I'd say this drink was quite comparable to the Black Sugar Boba Milk drink I got from Tiger Sugar in Little Tokyo earlier this month, and that one was $1 less. But the boba here was more QQ, though I wouldn't say by that much to compensate for the dollar difference.I neglected to shake the Oreo Creme Brulee until after taking my first sip, but stirring the drink after that didn't seem to have much of an effect. I don't know if shaking beforehand would have made a difference, but considering my mishap with the Stinger just moments ago, I'd only recommend to shake the drinks lightly instead.Case in point, looks can be deceiving. Don't assume the drinks are sealed properly here.I didn't get the bobarista's name on my last visit. The receipt says Morgan, but I know it's not Morgan because I briefly saw Morgan working in the back for a second while trying to decide which other drink to get alongside the Stinger.After my second visit, I think there is enough to give a third star, but honestly, it's going to take *a lot* for me to award a fourth star if I had issues with 2 out of the 3 drinks I've had here so far, and the odd one out didn't leave *that* much of an impression. Even if my third visit was a 5-star visit, a 2, 3, and 5 would only average out to a 3 after rounding.^ I also wanted to use this review update to piggyback off my initial review regarding the supposed fingernails in the Watermelon Lemonade. I was informed that the fingernail-like objects actually came from the hard lemon slices, which I do believe was the case since the two lemon slices in my Watermelon Lemonade were so firm that if I tried to bend either slice, it could easily snap in two. However, it's still a pretty bad mistake in that it would present a choking hazard, and I certainly wouldn't recommend any lemonades for the kiddos since all lemonades have slices of lemon inside. I'm sincerely hoping an implementation of preventative measures have been put in place since my first visit, and I'm also hoping additional corrective action can be taken to fine tune the sealing process on the drinks. I don't want another mess on my clothes and even inside my car!"
"This boba spot is good! I hope people give it a shot & not overlook it because it's in an odd location for a boba place. Had a mango smoothie here, which was great. Had fresh mango chunks. No mango syrup taste which I always appreciate. Barista also gave me a free macaron! They also have several other dessert options. Great service. Great drinks. I'll come here anytime over Bobuzz on Del Amo anytime."
"Located in Huntington Beach, this place has a little bit of everything and the entire menu had up to 50% price cuts which we all need to catch a break in prices when it comes to surviving! But hurry this offer is only until September and time has been going fast for sure! This isn't on the Main Street where everything is hectic and crazy, it's a nice quiet area with plenty of metered parking in the front. I ordered the Sesame chicken, egg rolls, popcorn chicken and Peach green tea. Everything was yummy and very affordable for sure. Service was fast and portions were just right. My friends all ordered the pho and they finished it, even ordered to-go."
