The Best Bubble Tea in San Jose

TP Tea

★★★★☆ 3.9 (240) • $$

"One of the better places to grab a drink at Oakridge Mall!Was waiting to pick up my phone at Apple around the corner, so made my way to TP Tea to grab a drink during my 10 min wait time.The shop itself looked crowded, but it was mostly people waiting for their drinks. There are a few seats inside the shop as well as out front.Order your drink at the kiosk and keep track of the status on the monitor showing your order number. Service was quick and easy. Drink status is easily visible on the monitor or you can be alerted via text message.Ordered the Kyoto, Uji Matcha Latte, 30% sugar. The Matcha is delicious and the drink at 30% was perfect as the sugar didn't overpower the taste of the Matcha. The Matcha was a beautiful green color, rich and distinct "grassy" Matcha flavor without tasting overly bitter. Good amount of caffeine as well. Got my drink in less than 10 minutes even with a bunch of orders ahead of mine. The staff here is efficient and neat, no sticky cups here!"

UMI Tea & Ramen

★★★★☆ 4 (64) • $$

"I'm still dreaming of getting another Vietnamese Coffee w Boba here. They made me like boba. Quiet little spot tucked away that we found when I was looking for the closest Vietnamese coffee spot. This is definitely the place to get one."

Nha Cafe

★★★★★ 4.8 (191)

"THIS DRIVE THRU IS THE BOMB.COMIf you haven't been to Nha, what are you even doing? You're missing out if you haven't been yet!Nha serves up Vietnamese-inspired drinks and everything on the menu is good. NEW! Tamarind Breeze - Roasted peanuts, pineapple, tamarind syrup (for those who loved Keo Me) Pandan Dream - Pandan soy milk, mung bean, coconut (pandan soy milk nostalgia, anyone?) Orange Sunset - Lemongrass tea, peach, orange (super refreshing and perfectly balanced!) Corn Cloud - Corn milk, coconut foam (think Che Bap in a drink!)Each drink impressed me, bringing out those familiar Vietnamese flavors I grew up with. You can't go wrong with any of the choices, but if I had to pick one, corn cloud is my choice!KEEP IN MIND: Nha is drive-thru only, so just look for the green sign they share with Modo, and you'll know you're at the right spot."

Ume Tea

★★★★★ 4.8 (30)

"We visited again on the 2nd day, which was their BOGO deal. Buy any drink and the free 2nd drink must be the same drink that you purchased. My wife bought the Ume Boba Milk Tea. I bought the Mango Coco for friends."

UJU

★★★★☆ 3.9 (81)

"Tried the banana coffee with herbal jelly and it was sooo cute. The herbal jelly was shaped like giant boba and the coffee was the perfect balance of strong coffee flavor with a hint of banana milkThe hazelnut americano is not on the best seller menu anymore but cashier said they can still make it anytime. I love finally founding a place in the Bay that serves Korean style sweet americanos."

Chicha San Chen

★★★★☆ 4 (948) • $$

"Order ahead because the lines here are long! Truly delicious tea drinks worthy of their accolades. My favorite is the lemon cream tea. The store is quite spacious but can still be overcrowded on the weekends. They occasionally offer tea tasting that a fun experience."

Heytea

★★★★★ 4.5 (171) • $$

"Super cute asthetic ! Not a studying place, but definitely a nice vibe to chill with friends. The drinks themselves are a bit heavier/creamier than most milk tea places. But that's my preference. If you're a big fan of cheese foams, you'll probably like this as well. The whole drink itself is basically a big cup of cheese foam and tea. Tastes yummy tho! I recommend the supreme brown sugar boba milk tea. Enjoy!"

Feng Cha Tea House

★★★★☆ 4.1 (51) • $$

"FLAVOR (5/5): Been to different Feng Cha locations and they're all consistent in quality! I'm super caffeine sensitive so I really appreciate their selection and substituting for caffeine free options. I have their strawberry overload with sparkling water and it tastes like a strawberry soda! Their breezes on the menu are also a favorite when I feel like treating myself. INSTAGRAM WORTHY (5/5): I love the aesthetic of Feng Cha, super clean and modern with just enough decor and design! The store itself isn't too big but enough for a few tables and photo ops! SERVICE (4/5): Came for their grand opening day, waited about 1.5 hours. The staff stayed positive and the wait for the drinks itself didn't run too long! TAKEAWAYS: One of my favorite boba chains, so happy to have a location closer to me! Right next to subway at the end of the Trader Joe's mall."

R&B Tea - Fremont

★★★★☆ 3.6 (124) • $$

"This place is cool if you want to grab a quick drink. I came here and got the Creme burlee coffee, iced. It was so good! I like how they have this thing where your drink is sealed in a aluminum style container. My drink tasted great! Not too sweet and not too strong. The service was good, they were fast and got my order right. I ordered through Yelp because I was curious about them and saw how you can conveniently order here. When I saw you can put in your order online I did it right away. There was plenty of parking when I showed up and by the time I got there my order was ready. The place looked clean and the pricing is reasonable. I would try this place if you haven't."

Tea Alley

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (195) • $

"Best and authentic tea in the area.My favorite is the Oolong milk tea and the Thai milk tea."

Moomo Tea

★★★★☆ 4.3 (284) • $$

"We are always pleasantly surprised by the boba drinks at Moomo Tea! As self-proclaimed boba connoisseurs, we would rank both the tea and boba topping from Moomo as top 10 in the South Bay. The milk teas we've tried are just the right strength, and the boba is perfectly chewy every time. My only tip would be to get 1 notch sweetness less than you normally do at milk tea places (for us, that would be 50% sweetness at Moomo), as they tend to make their drinks on the sweet side."

Tea Villa

★★★★☆ 3.6 (20)

"So we rolled up into this joint on a hot Wednesday Afternoon, after stuffing our fat faces with some fat burritos. We ordered a couple of beverages to wash down the black beans, mexican rice, guacamole, some salsa, little bit of lettuce, two different kinds of Orange Sauce, some french fries, couple of chips, two pieces of bread, extra tortillas, few tacos, half of a tostada and two quesadillas.We got:Dragon Puff - didn't taste like any Dragons that I know of.Strawberry Puff - It was pink, so I assume it tasted as such.Cool Staff! They laughed at my joke. I like people who do this."

O2 Valley

★★★★☆ 4.4 (563) • $$

"A nice bento place where the food comes out quickly and has all the fixings for your taiwanese cravings.I like how their do their sausage here and their crispy popcorn chicken has generous portions. I think I actually like the chicken cutlet more than the popcorn chicken just based on the flavor but you really can't go wrong.I'm also just impressed with their packaging because its so easy for me to take away and picnic at a nearby park."

Tao's Fresh

★★★★☆ 4.4 (297) • $$

"Great place to go for hot plate sizzling food! We came on a weekday night and they were pretty crowded at around 6 pm. You order on QR code, and they bring the food out to you. I highly recommend you to not wear something that is hard to wash because the smell will permeate into your clothing. I ordered the curry rice with beef and added kimchi on top. We also ordered the calamari to share, the calamari took awhile to come out, about 15 min, they make it fresh! I really enjoyed my dish! It came with a good portion of meat and rice."

Truewin Tea Shoppe

★★★★☆ 4.1 (154) • $$

"I've been eyeing this new boba shop since it landed on IG. I've missed the soufflé pancakes from Gram Cafe and the ones from Hanabusa seemed too eggy for me. Truewin takes it out of the park-- soufflé pancakes were so fluffy and soft without any overly eggy taste! My favorite was the chocolate cream filling sprinkled with crushed Oreos. I also tried the matcha cream with pistachios, which was sweeter. Only downside is price ~$9-10 each. Steep but I would get the chocolate one again. They currently have a promotion of 2 for $16 and 4 for $30 until 12/31!I've been here twice and both times I greatly enjoyed the drinks I ordered. First visit was the lychee oolong fruit tea with tea jelly. Soo refreshing and I was able to get no sweet. Last time I got the iron goddess milk tea no sweet with both golden boba and qq noodle. While the latter was a bit overcooked, I loved the golden boba! Texture was spot on chewy/bouncy and it reminded me of Sunright's honey boba. This brand took over Ume and before that it was T4. Seating is still on the left side but they have fewer seats than before, about 5 low round tables and 3 chairs each. Comfy though. Order at the kiosk and they'll text when the order's ready. They have snacks like popcorn chicken, takoyaki, calamari, and sweet potato fries."

Boba Galaxy

★★★★☆ 4.3 (191) • $$

"I love this place. Anthony will make you any one of his many teas, slushes, or Boba drinks from delicious ingredients. He offers amazing fruit combinations that will blow your mind. Most of his offerings have space themed names. My favorite is the Solar Flare, a spicy mango smoothie that is truly "out of this world"!For a limited time, he has a buy two, get one free deal.They are only open Thursday-Sunday, but well worth the wait!"

TeaZenTea Milpitas

★★★★☆ 3.6 (116) • $

"Came here for the ube waffle - tasty, made with real coconut & ube chunks, slightly sweeter than othersSuggestions: The packaging for the waffle could simply be a waxed coated paper bag instead of a box! It just made the waffle soggy within 5 minutes. I would come back anytime I'm craving a quick snack."

Bayleaf Tea

★★★★★ 4.5 (352) • $$

"This shop is connected to a gas station, but once inside you'd never know it. There's plenty of seating inside and a decent amount of parking available outside. There was wifi so I stuck around to do some work and had a fun time listening to the music play on the speakers. The cashier was sweet and patient with me as I decided what to order. She recommended the bacon & cheese mochi waffle and I'm happy she did because it was the perfect little pick me up and only $3. It is small so I'd recommend getting 2 if you want a treat (it's also so cute, shaped like a corgi!). I ordered the honeycomb latte at 75% sweet - I have a sweet tooth so at first I didn't think it was sweet enough, but once the honeycomb dissolved it was perfect. This place is definitely a hidden gem."

TP Tea

★★★★☆ 4.2 (88) • $$

"TP Tea does a very good milk tea. There was no wait when I came on a Monday afternoon. Even on a much busier Saturday night, I only waited a little over five minutes for my drink after I ordered. Taiwan Classic Milk Tea ($6.95, boba, QQ noodle, grass jelly already included) - This is a standard milk tea, maybe just a bit sweeter than average and comes pre-loaded with three topping favorites. QQ noodle is a clear, glass jelly noodle that is very chewy but easy to chew. Boba is more dense, slightly harder and chewier. Grass jelly is a light, slippery herbal jelly that is more subtle than bold and supposedly has antioxidant benefits. If you like all the toppings, then this drink is a steal because it's basically $1 more to get three toppings over the typical milk tea. The tea has a bold black tea flavor with a good balance of cream and sweetness. Tie Guan Ying Milk Tea ($5.95) - I haven't seen tie guan ying (it's a specific type of tea leaf) milk tea at many tea spots so I had to give this a try. It has a noticeable tie guan ying tea flavor mixed perfectly with cream and sugar. I liked this one too. I would recommend both of these milk teas equally, really it just depends on if you are craving tie guan ying flavor, then get that. If that difference doesn't matter so much to you and you just want any milk tea with lots of chew toppings, get the Taiwan Classic. As always, you can add various toppings a la carte to any drink. My favorite topping was the QQ noodle, as that is special to TP Tea. I get that full chew without my jaw having to work as hard as with standard boba. This location has a few seats, maybe about 10. Most people just drink their tea outside if they are with a group but inside, the seats arrangements are most accommodating if you just have two or three people."

ZERO& Cupertino Village

★★★★☆ 3.9 (85) • $$

"Solid place for a drink! I really enjoyed most of the drinks I got here. They do have loyalty points, so you can get deals pretty often too. The only thing is, I keep forgetting to do the scratcher from the cup, so I missed out on getting more points. There is minimal interaction with the staff here. You order via kiosk on the side, and they will call your name/ number once it's ready. If I remember correctly, there is only one table inside (right by the pickup), so you can't really sit and chill there with friends."

Haiku Teahouse

★★★★☆ 4.4 (313) • $$

"After my sis saw the capybara branding on the shop's Instagram she implored that we visit. :pI was most intrigued on the calamansi jasmine green tea since I've never seen it offered anywhere else. Pretty much tastes like straight calamansi juice since its super tart flavor masks the tea lol. Not to say that I didn't notice the tea at all.....pretty strong tea caffeine-wise. I had the drink with the poison oak honey boba; very bouncy boba! I quite like the taste too as the sweetness is more light and nuanced compared to the heavy sweetness of usual brown sugar boba. And no I didn't break out in rashes lol the honey used was made by bees that pollinate poison oak, simple as that. Overall I'd say if you want a packs-a-punch citrusy drink I'd say go for this one. Wished that there was a smaller cup size offered because it's rather large lol.I tried the corn latte that my sis ordered. The slight bitterness from the coffee kinda hinders the luscious milky-corn taste but if you need the caffeine boost then I won't be mad at ya. I personally would prefer the non-coffee version that's also available. The milky-corn taste reminds me a lot of the Filipino dessert maja blanca ahaha.Order at cashier counter or self-service touchscreen panel. Parking is at the nearby parking garage, which has no-fee spaces for retail visitors."

Boba Drive

★★★★☆ 4 (506) • $

"why is the first thing on your menu something that doesn't even have tea in it????!?!?!I ordered a Brown sugar Boba, and was so sad when I realized that what I had ordered was basically just caramel flavored milk with Boba in it. I don't understand who would order this on purpose? They should on the menu explicitly state that it does not have tea in it or just make it a secondary option based on a milk tea. Disgustingly sweet and childish drink"

Ume Tea

★★★★★ 4.5 (165) • $$

"First Time Visit - Great Find in Great Mall!We stumbled upon this adorable boba spot in Great Mall while craving something refreshing. The atmosphere was on point - cute boba place vibes and a grab-and-go kind of setup.What caught my attention was their separate kids menu with caffeine-free options - a big plus! The service was okay, taking about 10-15 minutes, which was reasonable considering the crowd.We ordered:- Brown Sugar Boba Oolong Milk Tea (75% sugar, less ice): Unfortunately, the oolong milk taste didn't quite meet my expectations. If you're new to oolong milk, be aware it's distinct from regular milk. However, the quality and brown sugar boba were amazing!- Ume Boba Milk Tea (light ice, bunny surprise cup, 70% sugar): I opted for this size for the surprise toy, which my toddler loved! The milk tea itself was okay, but not the best I've had.- Brown Sugar Boba Fresh Milk (light ice, whole milk, half sugar, medium size): Ordered from the kids menu for my 4-year-old, and she devoured it! Her absolute favorite!Overall, a great first experience, and we'll be back to try more!Recommended for families with kids!"

Rose Tea Lounge - Fremont

★★★★☆ 4.2 (465) • $$

"This was such a pretty cafe! I was in dire need of a matcha anything in the area and chose to stop by here! They have kiosks at the front for you to place your order and then your number is called.It would have been nice to see someone and order, BUT also after traveling, it was nice to just get in and get out.I ordered their Dirty Matcha Latte with boba. I ordered with just 75% sweetness, but I probably could have gone down to 50%. This was still VERY good and even though it's very chilly and windy, it was still refreshing."

Jell & Chill

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (39)

"My friend and I stopped here to order some bing fen after shopping at Valley Fair for a bit! I got the watermelon slush and she got the yuzu grapefruit. We asked the employee if he could make ours a little less sweet too, so if you prefer that make sure to let them know since it doesn't show up on the digital ordering menu! The watermelon slush came with such an adorable watermelon chunk in the shape of a flower on a stick, and my friend got a big chunk of fruit in hers. The lychee jelly in my slush was so refreshing and added sweetness. The cream on top didn't really add much flavor, I didn't mix it but it might have added a different sort of texture (since my order was just mostly watermelon juice). My friend liked her yuzu grapefruit, it was too sour for me to try after I had my watermelon so I just stuck to mine haha. It's really yummy and I'd definitely come back here to try another one of their drinks and maybe one of their desserts- perhaps a macaron or two?"

Feng Cha - San Jose

★★★★★ 4.6 (14)

"Citrus Lord with sparking water, aloe jelly and chia seeds. Refreshing and absolutely delish!!! Half sweet was perfect. I don't like my drinks super duper sweet."

Gong cha

★★★★☆ 3.9 (147) • $

"Came by Gong Cha after a few drinks at Barebottle brewing.I haven't had Gong Cha in awhile, so decided to try it out!I ordered:QQ passion fruit green tea $5.75sub coconut jelly for bobalarge +$0.5030% sweet25% iceDrink was $6.25 in total. Boba was cooked well, not overly sweet, and tea flavor was just right. Definitely will be back!Plaza parking, otherwise, you can park across the street in the garage."

T% Coffee + Tea - Santa Clara

★★★★☆ 4.1 (296) • $$

"I've been enjoying black sesame lately so I had to try their black sesame drink here. One reviewer said they opted for 50% sweetness, but it was still sweet for them so I went a tad lower.HEY SESAME: The black sesame flavor shines as it should! I liked the oat whipped cream on top, but it doesn't add much since the drink is already creamy and dessert-like. It's a blended milk that's has a nutty and smooth mouthfeel. The drink description notes that there's both black sesame and peanuts fyi. Got it at 30% sweetness, but will get 0% next time!"

Macu Tea - Berryessa

★★★★☆ 4.3 (94) • $$

"If you are looking for refreshing fruity tea drinks (aside from visiting Sunright Tea) head your way to Macu Tea. I love their grape smoothie with their tea jelly. the tea jelly is SO SO good. i have yet to find another place that has tea jelly. the tea jelly is so soft and the flavor of green tea in the jelly is so strong -- just makes the drink that much better with it. i'm not too crazy for the crystal boba, so i always ask to substitute it for tea jelly instead. their mango is also very delicious as well but my heart always goes back to Grape flavored one. i don't get the one with the cream on top but if you like those cheese top, do try it! i am waiting for Macu to expand to other cities like in Dublin!"

Poke Xpress

★★★★★ 4.5 (297) • $$

"The portions here were so big and the fish tasted very fresh! I definitely recommend a mix of spicy salmon and regular salmon. The service was very friendly and the ambiance was very casual. Great quick place for delicious poke!!"

3Catea

★★★★☆ 3.7 (96) • $$

"This place has been my current obsession! My favorites are the mochi Oreo and the avomango. The drinks are pricey, $7-$8. Service is slow as well, but the drinks are so good that I keep coming back. They also have an online ordering system if you prefer not to wait in store."

Teaspoon

★★★★☆ 4.1 (295) • $$

"Liquid gold is really tasty, though the 50% sugar level still tastes really sweet. The boba also are not as Q as I'm used to. It's a solid spot given lack of other nearby options. They make the boba very fast and can get through a lot of drinks in a short amount of time."

Teaspoon - Newark

★★★★★ 4.6 (54)

"Teaspoon opened recently in Gong cha's space. Obviously redecorated with a soft, whimsical sign & mural. Just 8ish tables inside for seating. Hip hop music in background.T is an American boba shop making unique boba and tea creations. No "me too" menu. Toppings are on the front counter. They use bobas created in California. Drinks made in plain sight, not behind curtains or a door.Offerings: Signature (boba) drinks, hot teas with unique profiles. Ordered at counter, pd, drink ready in minutes. No other patrons present.Sips: Liquid Gold (6.50) 24 oz. 25%sugar, reg. Ice-sweetness/ice just right. Honey slightly subtle.-none of the ice, honey, tea, cream or sugar overpowered each other. Subtle Tea felt but not tastable. Better than bland versions at other boba shops. 4ish starsNote: very active parking lot. Watch for cars when backing out to space or when walking..."

Ding Tea

★★★★☆ 4.2 (44)

"I love bubble tea, and I love Ding Tea! I was recently attending an event at the San Jose Convention Center, and Ding Tea was only a few blocks away, so naturally, I went several times during my stay in San Jose.First off, their tea is strong and flavorful, so you will have no issues tasting the tea through your milk. This is in contrast to some bubble tea places that essentially serve water with a faint taste of tea.Additionally, Ding Tea allows you to fully customize your bubble tea. You can even adjust the sweetness of your drink. This is a huge deal for me, because I like my drinks on the less-sweet side. In addition to the quality and customization, the service here is fast, and I never had to wait more than 5 minutes for my drink, even when there was a line at the counter."

R&B Tea - Nitro

★★★★☆ 3.6 (134) • $$

"Food- We always get the bubble waffle with boba and salted cheese cream - takes time to make but so worth the wait! The taro stormy is also great. The place is clean, also with a clean and well-maintained rest room."