BAMBU Desserts & Drinks

I love the fact that it’s a «Vietnamese version» of a Starbucks. The concept is unique in the fact they’re a Vietnamese dessert drink vs normal drink like frappé or etc. I’ve heard many great things about this franchise in general and the dessert is awesome. Great flavor and definitely tastes authentic.
The only reason for my 1 star deduction is because of their service. Not the most friendly guy behind the counter. He looked like he was just bored the entire time and didn’t really smile or made small talk with the customers. But other than that the experience was still positive.
They have a buy 5 get one free deal when I was there. I’m not sure if that’s still the case. FYI: If you’re buying to bring home I would suggest asking for NO ICE. The ice will ruin your dessert drink if you aren’t going to drink it right away. Put in either your own shave ice or just normal crushed ice will be fine.

Conveniently located in the new shopping center in Grand Prairie. Not the best place to get milk tea since they premake some of the milk teas, but that #1 Bambu Special (first page in the binder or #1 under dessert) is definitely something to try! I also like the fact they give you three options for a discount — one being buy four get one free and the second being a student discount with student ID. Service has picked up since grand opening of the supermarket. Definitely give this place a try if you want Vietnamese dessert drinks.

I’m not a sucker for sweet, but definitely a sucker for coconut anything! They have the best looking store for a Vietnamese dessert place (I know it’s fairly new, but most Vietnamese stores are usually not very well decorated). Plenty of choices to choose, from smoothies, to hot drinks, to che (my favorite and what I come here for). It helps a lot that they have pictures for all their che (Vietnamese dessert drinks, most come with coconut milk, must try!), cuz after reading all the description for a little while, they seem to all sound the same for some reason.
The service has always been extremely fast every time I come here. The lady who looks like she’s in her early 40s is very friendly, offered me discount and recommended several different options for me to choose from.
Their drinks can get overly sweet. Don’t be shy asking them for more ice or less sweet.

I love this place so much. So many options for different desserts and it has a very cozy atmosphere. The staff is also very friendly and if your a student whip out that student id n get your discount!

Bambu dessert was actually a second option because the other tapioca place was closed. Bambu is a vietnamese tapioca/​dessert drinks chain. I was desperate for a tapioca drink, so I had Bambu anyways. One great thing about this place was how nice the girl working the ipad/​cash register was. She promptly took our orders and suggested for us to partake in the «buy 4 get 1 free deal». We all ordered our drinks (there was 9 of us) and waited in the seating area. It is kind of squished with random tables kind of placed, but we made it work. Our drinks quickly came out. But I guess since we had so many orders, the people inside making our drinks got confused. We ended up being short one drink and we had to pull out the receipt to show evidence we purchased it.
Now, the actual drinks were downright awful. Most of us ordered the milk teas with tapioca. And anyone who ordered any fruit-​flavored teas was disgusted by it. It was so obvious that it is made from powder and it was sweetened way too much. I took a sip of my sister’s taro milk tea and all i tasted was powder. It was terrible. I ordered my jasmine milk tea with one half sugar and it was extremely watered down. The tapioca itself was too chewy probably sat in the bin way too long because the flavor of my drink never went into them. The drinks were each about $ 3.50 and above, which is a little pricey… especially for the quality and quantity of the drink.
Stay away from the milk teas. Hopefully the dessert drinks are better.

My wife and I have tried Boba at many places, but this place is consistently good. We like the Taro smoothie with boba and lychee jelly, and it’s delicious every time! They specialize in Vietnamese desserts. This is the go-​to place for all your Boba and dessert needs!

I never had Che until I came to study in Arlington. I’m always so thankful when there’s a new culture introduced to me. Before college I’ve never had real Vietnamese food, prior to this I’ve been eating fake phở made by Koreans. My whole life was a lie until I ate genuine phở made by Viets.
So for those who’ve never had Che, it’s a sweet drink or dessert filled with jellies of different kinds, fruits, and beans. Bambu gives you several options to fit your own taste. Which is really nice because normally you only have about four options given to you at restaurants. Here, you can customize it to your taste.
Friendly staff and good location to Hong Kong market as well as Asia Times Square.

Love how it is conveniently located by the Hong Kong marketplace so that I could just run in to grab a quick drink, then just run next door to do all my grocery shopping necessities. Other than that, there’s nothing too special about this Bambu, in particular, compared to the others that I have been to so a 4-​star would be worthy for this one.
* Ordered Dessert Drink #4: Che Suong Sao Hat Luu [1]
* Quick service
* Clean
* Convenient location [2]
— - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — - — -
[1] Grass Jelly, Red Tapioca, Pandan Jelly, Jello, and Mung Bean; served with a good amount of «substance» and not an overwhelming amount of ice like some juice bars and smoothie places tend to do. And great assortment of substances in the drink, which has definitely made this drink one of my new go to dessert drink to order.
[2] Located in a shopping plaza next door to the Hong Kong marketplace

Yum… seriously, yum!
I had a drink there recently.
I forgot the name, which makes me sad, but seriously soo good.
I will be back. for sure.

Love this place it has fresh ingredients and great quality!

First timer to bambu! Very clean place. I like how they have pictures of some of their desserts/​beverages on the wall.
I just stopped by here to grab a drink and dessert after eating a big lunch. I ordered #1 which is their bambu special and a strawberry tea.
The strawberry tea was so refreshing and sweet! Great on a hot summer day. Bambu specials also very refreshing… Consist of coconut, Logan, green jelly, basil seeds.
It did take some time to get my order… There was a big group infront of me, I guess our ticket didn’t print out, and it was never made… But I understand mistakes happen, I wasn’t in a hurry, let’s just hope it doesn’t happen again.

My friends and I came in and ordered #1, 4, and 18. Not only did they get the order wrong the first time the drinks were brought out, but we all had severe food poisoning for the next three days. The ingredients must have been left out and spoilt. What a terrible experience.

I personally think that this Bambu needs a lot of improvement. I have been to the one in Richardson and think that there is a drastic difference between the two.
Service: Sub Par at best. I decided that I wanted to make a late night drink run & checked their hours online. The website said open till 10. I shot over there around 9:15 and when I got there the place was closed. I wasn’t too disappointed with that because the internet isn’t the most reliable source. I called the next day to ask what time they close and I mentioned that the hours were wrong online. The employee responded with «oh ok.»
Upon going to the place we ordered three number 1 and paid for it. After we paid they came back and said, we can’t make three #1. I was surprised but accepted since I already paid and selected a different drink.
Quality: the drinks were disappointing. The fruits tasted old and the juice felt slightly lukewarm as opposed to my experience at the richardson location where everything seems to be on point.

I never thought I’d be giving a Bambu location this low of a rating but this location near Arlington is pretty shocking and not in the way you’d like. They don’t use fresh fruits in their drinks and they have difficulty getting the easiest orders correct. Every time I go to Houston I always made sure to make a stop into one of their Bambu locations to get my fill of sweets but I doubt I’ll be that way with this location.
I’ve given them at least 4 opportunities to win me over in the way their company has in the past but I think this is the end of my relationship with this one. Sorry Bambu it’s not me it’s most definitely you.
When I first visited I noticed immediately that they didn’t have the open prep area where you could watch them make your drink and/​or dessert. I later learned that this is because they use canned ingredients instead of the typical fresh ingredients like other locations. I could overlook non-​organic ingredients in Houston because I didn’t frequent them as I lived very far away but this I can’t.
On another occasion I took my niece and nephew to get some treats after eating in the area where they ordered a chocolate smoothie split into two cups. These kiddos don’t eat a lot at all and they elected to split one which the cashier was happy to do. Only when they received their order after a long wait they received what they described as chocolate milk on ice. Well chocolate milk would’ve been nice if they ordered it but they wanted a chocolate smoothie. When we asked to have it corrected the cashier said they could but it may be a little more of a wait (at this point a few more customers had entered). The kiddos declined so we left. Yes we could’ve waited but we had already waited a long time to get the incorrect drinks in the first place.
If you know their menu you know there are a lot of options to choose from which is great (for some people) but when first timers like my mother visited with me we asked for their recommendations and we were met with a vague response of «everything is good.» No I don’t expect any employee to say the opposite of that about an establishment they work for but that’s probably one of the last things someone wants to hear when having difficulty deciding what to order. I used the moderator in me and tried to probe the cashier for a better response but she shrugged her shoulders and said they’re all good. Yup, my hearing is just fine but thank you so much for repeating it! –_​–
I’ve said this on more than one occasion but I love supporting small business owners and this is a franchise of a larger chain but nonetheless a small business owner runs this location from my knowledge. I really want to be a fan of them but they need to fix a few things first.

I absolutely LOVE this place!
They make the best boba drinks I’ve ever had. The lychee boba is exactly how anyone would want it to be and it’s my go to drink. It’s so good that I can’t bring myself to order a different drink to try… which is why I try the drinks of those that accompany me tehe. Well I recently gave another flavor a try due to my sister. The mango boba tastes like I’m eating mango purée and it was so good. Not too thick, not too liquid-​ie. It could have used more boba pearls but all and all, very good. The staff members are pretty quick with getting your order to you. If you wait more than 5 minutes I would be shocked, so if you’re pressed for time this will always be a good quick choice. It’s also a decent price for boba drinks, many priced around $ 5.
I know many people like their jellies and other specialty drinks that you would spoon (as opposed to sip) but I’ve never tried any. Some look interesting, but if you don’t like jelly (such as myself) I’d stay away from it.
This location DOES ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS. I have been to the location in Houston which only takes cash, so just a heads up! It would be a small tragedy in the foodie world to arrive and not be able to get a hold of the deliciousness that is housed in this café… and it would just be an inconvenience to find an atm and come back haha I’m try to avoid as much hassle as possible. Enjoy!

This is the best Vietnamese dessert place in the Arlington/​Grand Prairie area. They have a variety of che and boba drinks. If you’re not familiar with any of desserts, they even have picture of each of the desserts.
I highly recommend the #6 — Che Trai Cay. It has an assortment of fruits from coconuts, lychee, jackfruit and jelly. It’s my favorite!
This restaurant itself is pretty small. There are limited seats. The service is kinda slow, but totally worth it.
TIP: Don’t forget to get a spoon with your dessert! You can’t eat anything without it!

Looooooved my dessert here. Great establishment and awesome place!
Experience: I came in expecting a lot since my Arlington friends have told me so much about this place. Walking in, there is nice and new décor. The place is a little small so I wouldn’t recommend bringing the fam here unless you’re going togo. There are nice cute booths and really beautiful hanging lights. I loved the vibe here, great place for you extrovertishintrovert people to study!
Service: the ladies in the front were extremely helpful and patient. I was stuck in between the number 2 and the number 6, She gave an honest and objective opinion saying that she enjoyed the number 6 more, trusting her judgement, I went with the number 6.
Food: Yo, it was soooooooooooo good. If you like a whole mixture of sweet stuff with oriental flavors (such as red bean, lychee, etc.) you’ll love the number 6. Great decision and I was very glad to have finally tried Bambu. I’m sure the other desserts are good too, but I would def recommend the 6 if you’re at lost.
Overall, had a great experience here and will be coming back when I’m on this side of town!

I came in here another time to give it another try cause the manager offered a complimentary drink and it was a lot better! The drink was sweeter, I could taste the coconut milk and it was still cold and had ice in it. The boba pearls was sweet like how I like it and the black milk tea is good also! Awesome and friendly service! I’m glad I came back.

I was greeted by two girls as soon as I walked in. They were really friendly :)
I was told by a friend that they can make Thai tea slushies ! I asked if they did, and the girl said she would be happy to make it for me. I loved it so much, thank you girls !
Mom loved their #6 dessert and her milk tea as well. I will be returning for this more often. Will be trying out their Thai tea ice cream too.

BAMBU Desserts & Drinks is a Vietnamese dessert shop that specializes in Vietnamese iced jelly, bean, and coconut drinks. This review focuses on the Grand Prairie location, which is located in the Hong Kong Supermarket shopping strip.
My Overall Rating — 4 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return)
Atmosphere — Bambu has a clean, modern, and trendy feel. There are plenty of tables, and the chairs resemble bamboo wood. There’s a small display next to where you order which is filled with sweets & treats. Very nice inside and welcoming. 1 Star.
Service — The staff are nice & quick. What I like is that they have a folder with photos & descriptions of each dessert. So if you are not familiar with Che (Vietnamese ice desserts), grab the folder & take a look. It’s big & detailed and very smart on the staff’s part. 1 Star.
Food — Vietnamese Iced Coffee gets the major headlines, but the Vietnamese Ice desserts are great as well! My favorite is Number 4 — Che Suong Sa Hot Luu — Tapioca in Coconut Milk and Grass Jelly dessert. What makes Bambu so great is that the drinks are very large (thank Starbucks grande) with a great mixture of jelly and tapioca. The flavors are sweet and refreshing and leave with a clean finish. The only thing I would have liked is a little more coconut milk and ice which can add to the creaminess and sweetness while keeping it cold. Their Che Ba Mau (3 color drink) is also a good introduction. Try to eat it fast, as the drinks do get to room temperature fast when the ice melts. 1 ½ Stars.
Will I Return? — Not as often as I want. While I’ll not always in Arlington/​Grand Prairie, it’s a location what I will certainly visit when I’m in the area. If you’ve never had Vietnamese Che, it’s a cold, sweet alternative to ice cream/​yogurt. ½ Star.
My Unilocal Rating Scale (Sum of all parts):
1 Star — Atmosphere — Is it a cool dive? Perhaps an upscale place? No matter the type, atmosphere plays a big part and I’ll give a star if I like it or thinks it has great charm.
1 Star — Service — You can have a great meal with bad service. But that’s also what can make a five star joint drop to four. It’s important to the dining experience that service is great and on point.
2 Stars — Food — I’ll award up to two stars for the food, since this is the main reason we dine out. Sometimes the extra star is given for value, but it’s really all about the food.
1 Star — Will I come back? — If I know for a fact I’ll return, I’ll give this a star. A place has to make an impression for me to return.
Each Category can be given up to 1 star except food (2 stars) because I consider all these categories important to the overall dining experience. I will sum them up to provide my final Unilocal score.