i-Tea

Crying, crying, i-​Tea is soooooooooo good. It’s just a six-​minute (late night) drive from the Circus Center, so I have found my go to spot after classes to fuel up on carbs and protein after classes. My friend and I stopped by last night and called in our order, so by the time we arrived, our drinks were already sitting on the counter. I tried the mango sago for the first time, which was DIVIIIIIIIIIIIINE. It’s a milky, intense, mango smoothie with little tapioca (not boba) pearls throughout. it is sooo goood! It is definitely my non-​caffeine drink of choice, along with the taro milk.
I also recommend B4, the milk tea with dofu hua and red bean. I often sub the red bean for grass jelly. Doesn’t get any more café life than this, making me a happy happy girl.

I’m a lover of boba drinks and can say that this place is awesome! I first tried their Mango Crystal which made me hooked! It’s a mango slush with jello and mango bits. I usually add boba to it as well. For a while they were out so I had to change my order to the green tea grape fruit QQ which is also really refreshing and satisfying. I’m so happy that they brought back the Mango Crystal and it’s even better then I remembered so I had to write a review.
The place is generally really busy so be prepared to wait a little bit for your drink to come. It’s worth the wait though! Definitely a loyal customer!

Very small location given they took over Teaway.
I had their signature boba milk tea tonight and it was great! Not too milk and not to strong in tea. Their mango sago is all over the Unilocal page so I can’t wait to try next time.
No place to sit, a few stools while you wait for your drink.
This is the pricier boba shop on Irving, but probably the best quality.

This is my new favorite boba spot right now… (Sorry Boba Guys, but you’re too far for me)
My go to drink is the Roasted Oolong Milk Tea with grass jelly. Though this drink is my go to drink anywhere now, I have to say this place makes it the best. It’s a perfect combination of tea and milk. The grass jelly here is so good, it’s melts in your mouth.
I think the best seller here is their Mango Sago, which is fantastic. Whoever thought of putting mango sago in a to go cup is a genius! The mangoes used always taste super fresh. I also get grass jelly with this.
The only downside to this place is that it’s takes a long time for the drink to come out. I’ve waited 30 minutes for my drink to be made before… It’s never a quick stop when I come to I-​Tea.

I need to come back here and try everything!
Came here around 2pm, and waited about 10 minutes in line to order and a few waiting for my drink to be made. I’m sure the line for this place can get really long and out the door. This place is not a place to sit and chill, but only for you to stop by, buy something, and go elsewhere. It took over one of the many Teaways on Irving that used to exist, and I’m glad it changed to this. There was so much variety, and so many useful pictures of the drinks to help us all choose. All I did was order one drink, and I was sold on this place.
I ordered a mango sago.
Honestly, I can say I have never tasted a better mango sago drink. Creations and Golden Island Café doesn’t even compare. It doesn’t quite look like the advertised picture, but nonetheless, the drink was bomb. Lots of sago, but very few mango pieces. The mango fruit chunks were really soft though, and the drink overall was creamy and packed with mango flavor. The drink was just the right amount of sweetness even though you’d expect fruit drinks to be really sweet. Sad to say, I didn’t want to finish the drink because it was that good.
Again, I need to come back and try everything! Also if you plan to pay by credit or debit, they charge a transaction fee for orders under $ 15 I think?

I’ve had t4, Supercue, Sharetea, Tpumps, TJ Cups, BB tea station, Purple Kow, & Bobaguys just to name a few. However… iTea still manages to be my go-​to spot.
Things I’ve tried:
— mango sago: you have to get this. It’s sooo good and soo addicting. It’s like a sweet mango purée with sago and fresh mango pieces. I usually don’t like sweets, but this isn’t too overwhelming at all. It’s my favvvvvvv. Highly recommend!
— milk tea with tofu & redbean: if you’re a fan of tofu fa, you HAVE to try this! It’s an amazing texture & goes so well with a regular milk tea. It’s also house-​made and complements the red bean so well! It’s like those Asian red bean desserts but in a cup lol :)
— roselle gt: similar to the royal rose tea from t4. It’s a tart green tea and I like to get this with aloe when I’m craving something tart after a meal! It’s also good with boba.
— Oriental Beauty/​Alishan Kreama: I love the undertones of these teas. They’re a bit nutty and go great with the layer of Kreama. If you’re a fan of a stronger tea (versus milk or other flavorings) then the Kreama series is for you. Just get it, you’ll thank me later!!!
Oh btw I like to get everything 50 sweet/​50 ice. It’s the perfect combo imo. I have yet to try the rest of the menu… But I’m working on it. Will be back soon!

Would be a solid 4 stars if they hired more people. This line moves super slow.
If you want to be disappointed and want to see the perfect example of a bad business, look no further.
We waited a total of 1 hour for 3 drinks. Talk about efficiency!

Let’s start the first review of 2016 with a new boba place that has me addicted. (I know I know, it’s 21 days into the new year and I am just writing my first review of the year – where has this month gone?!)
i-​Tea seems like it has everything going against it. Consistently long lines and many other boba options within walking distance. So how is it that they have won me over? Pure deliciousness. Even easier, I could just say they use fresh mangoes which automatically makes me a fan. Their menu is extensive which means you can find a drink you love, but may also mean you might run into a drink you don’t love.
Drinks are customizable for your ice and sweetness levels (standard, 80%, 50%, 30%, or 0%). Recently this has become one of the first things I look for on a boba menu because I will not drink an overly sweet drink. Although, don’t try to order at 25% because they will tell you they can only do 30%. That moment made me laugh inside.
Toppings galore! Whatever topping you like on your boba, they have it: pudding, jellies, panna cotta, regular boba, agar boba and the list goes on.
My go to of the moment: Panna cotta mango milk tea, 50% ice, 30% sweet.
Other favorites here are the Kreama series (any of them) because the tea flavor stands out so well and the brown rice milk tea which may be more of an acquired taste but has a deep, nutty undertone that I love.
I do wish they were open later, especially on weekends!

There are so boba places on irving st but only came here since someone recommended to come here after dinner. They have a lot of choices of drinks to choose from.
Decided to get the Mango sago about $ 4.95. Thought it a little expensive then some boba places. But they do give you a large long kind of cup but can kill it fast if you’re a fast drinker.
On picture menu it shows that the mango sago has big pieces of mango but it wasn’t. It was mostly mango bits: square shape i think and tiny clear looking boba. The juice is also mango flavor but of course it taste artificial.
I thought the drink was good but sweet after taste
They Make the drink fast since there was a large group of us

Geez, I really liked this place. Their high mountain Aishlan tea with cream almost knocked my tie right off my neck.
What complex flavors in a tea. Nutty, hint of sweet like caramel. It’s so different than my usual Oolong with cream drink. I like this one a lot better.
They have a frequent buyer card, and with their tea and cream, you know I’ll be stocking up on their drinks and storing them in my refrigerator to take to work.
Long line in the middle of the day, but all in all nice service and a great tea place. No wonder there are lines here, and this block is filled with half a dozen tea places with no lines.

While the drinks are delicious, the service is s l o o o w. There is usually a line out the door and even when there isn’t, expect to wait at least 10 minutes for your drink :/​BUT I think it’s worth the wait!
For the traditional, try the herbal teas. I particularly like Oriental Beauty and Peach Oolong.
For the adventurous, definitely try the Mango Sago (SO good, with real mango chunks and chewy sago). They also have seemingly healthier drinks too, like apple cider vinegar tea (?!).
Good place to go to satisfy any and all tea cravings. The storefront is super tiny, so just grab&go.

I’ve been to a fair share of milk tea places because my friends and BF are milk tea fanatics (from Sac to SF and San Jose and SoCal).
DRINKS:
This is by far my favorite milk tea place in the bay area (maybe even socal!). They have authentic Asian flavors and a large variety of flavors and different types of drinks to chose from. You name it they probably have it. You also have the option to adjust the sweetness level and ice level. my favorite are their Fresh taro milk tea (with real taro pieces) and brown rice MT with chia seeds and agar. I got the brown rice one recently with 50% sweet was very strong in flavor, very good, but still a tad too sweet for me. I accused my BF for being a plain jane for getting a regular milk tea, but the tea flavor was so nice and strong without losing the milk flavor. Strongly recommend this place if you want legit milk tea!
SERVICE:
Very friendly and helpful. The drinks do take awhile but is worth it for the taste!
AMBIANCE:
Limited seating, very small interior. More of a grab and go boba location.

Element of surprise. Word of advice, if a relationship loses that, it just may go downhill. Even the smallest things, like cooking an egg for them after they had 9 hour shift; surprising them with Mango Sago from i-​Tea outside of their workplace. Anything.
i-​Tea was definitely an element of surprise. I got many mixed reviews about this place and had the greatest doubt. BUT MANGO SAGO ALL THE WAY FRIENDS.
Mango Sago 4.95: Their best seller, claims the cashier. Consists of actual FRESH mango bits and clear sago. No, not the canned mango or artificial ones, ACTUAL mangoes. Not too sweet to me, super fresh! Brings back the days when I used to go Creations and it tasted pretty good back then. The overall drink was quite creamy.
Place is quite small. Fits about 6 people and then it gets uncomfortably crowded. There is one long bench against the window with 2 seats. On a Monday at around 8pm, it took less than 7 minutes for them to make my drink. Employees were pretty nice!

Highlights
— They have unique offerings like Mango Sago and Milk tea with tofuhua and red bean.
— It’s in the perfect location with a ton of restaurants nearby and great when I want to satisfy my milk tea craving without having to resort to the mediocre places nearby.
— Quick service and customization with ice and sweetness offered.
Improvements
— Mango sago was apparently the favorite drink since the person ahead of me ordered 5 of them and I kept reading quick tips about it, so I ordered it. If you like Asian desserts, this would be your drink, but I wasn’t feeling it with all the sago in every sip. Maybe a bit more ice would have been better. I should have stuck with my normal fruit or milk teas.
Tips
— Parking is hard to find in this area especially during peak lunch and dinner hours. Metered or neighbor hood parking only.

Move over Super Cue & ChaTime, you have been replaced with i-​Tea. Love that the drinks have been consistent every time. However, sometimes you have to make sure your drink is correct cause when they’re busy, it gets chaotic.
My favorites:
Mango Sago
Roasted Oolong Tea Kreama
Roasted Oolong Milk Tea
Passion Fruit Green Tea

New favorite boba place (+1 star for that)! The only way I could love it more is if it was closer to my house.
(3÷3) Boba and tea here are on point. While a little bit sweet for my taste, the tea seems to be good quality. It does seem a bit watered down, but you can still taste the delicious tea (rather than just… sweetness, as can happen at other tea shops). For reference, my preferred sweetness here is 50%. I’ve tried the jasmine milk tea, roasted oolong milk tea, and genmaicha milk tea and I enjoyed each of these. I don’t get boba personally, but from what I mooched off friends the boba always seems fresh and soft. My boyfriend also really likes the boba here. I also tried the pudding and it’s good too.
Price is okay; it’s a little bit pricey ($ 4 for a regular size), but the size seems about right for the price (I believe it might be a 24 oz cup, but I’m not sure. Tall cup).
i-​Tea is not your «get boba and chill» type of place. There is literally no space in here. So take your boba and head to someone’s house.
(1÷1) Service has been good at i-​Tea. Perhaps a little bit slow, but they do have a wide variety of drinks and limited staff on hand. Cashiers are generally friendly and cope well with the lines that can form out the door.
Every time I’ve come to i-​Tea it doesn’t disappoint. You’ll be seeing me here again.

I usually come here for the mango sago but apparently mango is out of season from October– January. I tried their other drinks (panda milk tea, fresh taro, wintermelon, and passion fruit green tea) and it was medicore at its best.
Bottom line– I would only come here for mango sago. I’ll be waiting in February…

Came across this Boba place while walking around the area. I’ve tried another iTea place in the bay area, thought I came here to check this place out too.
I would say that this boba place is pretty good.
We came here after eating dinner and my boyfriend wanted some milk tea. I did not know what to order so my boyfriend just ordered their taro milk tea with boba. I am not a big fan of taro milk tea as many places make their taro milk tea with powder which is pretty gross. However, this one didn’t tatse like powder at all. I was fairly surprised that this place made their own taro milk tea, and it was pretty good. Their boba were perfectly made and the taro milk tea even had tiny bit of taro inside.
The downside is that their service is slow. When we got there there was only 1 person in front of us yet it still took around 10 – 15 minutes for them to make one drink.
Overall, I would not mind coming back and get boba from here again if I am in the area again.

This was close to Teaway and I highly suggest going here instead of that place because their tapioca here was better.
I got my usual, mango green tea with boba, and received it about 5 minutes which was quick. At first, my tea tasted weird but then as I sipped for a second time, it got better.
This is not a place to sit down. There was literally one chair to use.

Update: Flavors are still awesome and it is still my favorite place for milk tea but when it comes to additional toppings that you pay for, you get very little of it. I had itea in Oakland and ordered the same drink with the same topping and got twice as much topping as I did here.
Old review: Became very addicted to milk tea after coming back from Taiwan and have been trying to find a place that serves milk tea reflective of flavors of Taiwan.
I-​Tea provides a very extensive menu of many different types of drinks! They range from fruit based teas, classic milk teas, cremas, slushes, and smoothies. My boyfriend got the fresh taro milk tea with panna cotta and I got the fresh mango slush. The taro milk tea was delicious! It definitely reminded me of Taiwan where they have fresh taro chunks in the drink, something that is different than other places that serve taro milk tea. The addition of panna cotta was good but the flavor was not as enhanced as I thought it would be, so I might try the egg pudding next time.
The mango slush was delicious! They have fresh mango pieces, super sweet, and delicious. It is great that you can adjust the sweetness and ice level for every drink. In general, I feel the sweetness levels are less sweet compared to other areas like share tea and tpumps, but just to be safe, you can get 50% and then see.