Chicha San Chen

The pearls are deliciously chewy! It was great to see they make their milk tea from tea leaves and not tea bags lol - that’s the real deal, Taiwanese style. The atmosphere was lovely in the afternoons. We went there after dinner once, and it got quite loud in there with limited seating.

Wonderful taro milk tea selection. Probably in the Top 2 Boba Tea shops which serves taro milk tea. I ordered the Taro fresh milk, which comes with good amount of taro. no sugar is added with the fresh milk and it was delicious to my taste. It is more expensive than Tea Top but equally yummy.

Mixed feelings about this place. I love the atmosphere and interior design here. Also their cup design is pretty unique. Milk tea might not taste very “taiwanese authentic”, but i liked it a lot. Good tea flavor and good boba chewiness. The fruit tea was great too - made with real fruits. However - biggest issue is that it is completely overpriced. $7.5 for a small milk tea or fruit tea in chinatown houston is absolutely outrageous pricing. There are enough milk tea spots which serve similar quality boba for less than $6 (large!). Also their servicing is a bit chaotic. Not clear where line starts and ends. But the team is super friendly!

Finally got around to try this tea place from Houston. First impression is that the store smelled amazing and the staffs were so helpful with their suggestions. Their Cassia with Cream drink is now my favorite. They also have this opportunity to try tea tasting, which was such an interesting and informative experience!

I ordered the Taro Milk Tea with green tea base, light sugar, and normal ice—it was perfect! The flavor was rich but not too sweet, and the tea fragrance really came through. I also love their cup design and eco-friendly sleeve—great attention to detail. Will definitely come back to try more drinks!

I recently visited this boba establishment and found the experience satisfactory. The tea flavors were good quality - the jasmine and black milk teas both delivered consistent flavor without any off-notes or sweetness issues. The milk teas we ordered had a balanced ratio of ingredients, and the boba pearls were properly cooked with an appropriate texture. Nothing was overly sweet or watery, which can be common issues at other shops. The service was helpful without being intrusive. When asked about recommendations, the staff provided useful information about the various options, which assisted in making a decision. They seemed to know their menu well. Overall, this is a reliable option for boba tea in the area. The combination of decent drinks and competent service makes it worth considering when you're in the mood for milk tea.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Chicha San Chen is on another level when it comes to bubble tea. You can taste the quality in every sip – the tea is freshly brewed to order, and you can even choose the specific type of tea base you want. It’s not just a drink, it’s an experience for tea lovers! The flavors are deep, fragrant, and well-balanced. The bubbles are perfectly chewy, and their signature drinks like the Bubble Milk Tea with Dong Ding Oolong or Tea with Cream are absolutely worth trying. The shop design is sleek and calming, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable – they really take care in preparing your drink. Whether you’re a boba fan or a tea purist, Chicha San Chen delivers on flavor, quality, and craftsmanship. Highly recommended!

Having previously visited ChiCha San Chen’s Austin location and we were excited to see their Houston location opening and decided to stop by during their soft opening. Unfortunately, the visit did not meet expectations. On a positive note, there was not a long line when we arrived, and the cashier kindly offered a sample of their bubble milk tea (without the boba), which tasted pleasant and heightened our anticipation as we ordered their Bubble Milk Tea. However, once we received our drinks, the excitement quickly faded. The drinks were surprisingly watery and lacked the distinct, robust tea flavor that Chicha San Chen is known for. Given the strong reputation and positive reviews, this visit left us very disappointed. We hope this was just a soft-opening hiccup and that things will improve once they fully settle in.

This place is generally packed with moderately long lines on weekends. However, service is typically very expedient and they will be able to get to your order within a very reasonable amount of time. There is kiosk ordering options to the side or in person staff can take your order if you'd like. He has ordering is made very simple and easy to use. The cafe area is spacious, well it, and very cute. The milk tea was very smooth and on the lighter end of flavor. I suspect that this is a part of their branding. The milk tea cups are placed in a very cute string holder. Love the branding!

ChiCha Sen serves boba tea in a way I haven't really seen before -- they use a machine similar to an espresso machine, but instead of coffee, they brew fresh tea leaves to order. No bulk-batched tea here, which makes a huge difference in freshness and flavor. You can order at the counter or at the kiosk, which makes it pretty convenient. I had my drinks with 0 sweetener and enjoyed them as-is -- you really taste the tea. The menu is small and simple, which I'm guessing is intentional so they can focus on quality.

Not sure if it is just this location, but the drink I got (green tea with mousse cap) was SO watered down, and the mousse cap added nothing to the drink tbh. There was also a really unpleasant artificial sweetener taste, not sure from what exactly, but I honestly could not finish the drink. I also came at around 8pm and it was packed/I had to wait at least an hour for my drink, so it was a pretty disappointing experience. The only positive thing about this place is how nicely fragrant the actual shop is!

My friend and I wanted to check out a new boba place in Chinatown after lunch. It was really packed but the line to order was quick and there was also a self kiosk. We got the peach oolong tea, bubble milk tea & classic fruit tea. We didn't change any sweetness level. The bubble milk tea was smooth and boba was perfectly chewy. The classic fruit tea had a super unique blend of flavors & texture. My daughter didn't enjoy the toppings but I liked the refreshing taste with the surprise crunch of a topping. The black and white wall tones made it feel modern and welcoming. There is a decent amount of seating but it was busy on a Wednesday early afternoon. I would definitely consider coming back to try more drinks.

I went to Chicha San Chen's Austin location once and really liked it, so I decided to check out the Houston location, and it was just as good. I went on a Thursday around 6:30pm and it was pretty empty inside. They offered us a sample of the osmanthus oolong tea w/ mango while we were looking over the menu, which we ended up ordering. I also ordered the creamy mango tart. Both drinks were very refreshing. They are slightly on the sweeter side though, so I'd recommend adjusting the sugar level if that isn't your preference. The service here was good and fast. The interior was very pretty, modern, and clean.

Got a chance to check this new popular boba spot. Luckily we arrived before the lunch rush so we were able to order without a line. The boba did take some time to come in and they got busy very quickly. I like the modern decor, a few tables to sit at but it's pretty noisy in there because it's always crowded. I tried the osmanthus oolong mango tea at the counter when they were giving out samples. Being a mango lover, I loved it and decided to order it. The boba cup comes with a string holder so that was a nice touch. Will definitely come back to try more.

Love this establishment. The tea is authentic, and you can tell that they put love in each drink. I had the bubble milk tea. It wasn't too sweet, and the boba was the perfect consistency. The drink ended up being about $7, but I think that it was well worth it.

As far as chain boba shops go, Chicha continues to stand out for me with their somewhat precise measurements and brews of their teas and mixins. I've been to several now and have been so thankful that they opened one up in Houston so that I have quicker access, maybe the next one can be closer to city center? This Chicha is similar to others with a rather simple, clean aesthetic and usually bustling as people are lined up or waiting for their drinks. There is a tea tasting in the back that is sometimes available but I've only caught it once. Service seems fine, I've had one cashier who's nice and now remembers me, that says a lot about how often I'm here and his willingness to remember customers. The missing star is because I do think there's a bit of inconsistency at this location. Every now and then the tea flavor doesn't come through and tastes watered down. I do notice some employees aren't as thorough about washing/rinsing between tea brews but also, its a lot to ask someone to do for probably minimum-ish wage. Regardless, this is def one of my favorite boba spots and they have a lot of great teas with very fresh flavors. They also have seasonal options which is what I tend to go for.

Chicha San Chen is as good as any bubble tea I've ever had. I've been to this location twice and my drinks were perfect both times. I tried the black milk tea and green milk tea and both had such a nice fragrance to them. You can tell they use high-quality tea leaves, probably straight from Taiwan. The tapioca pearls were perfect too: chewy (QQ) and sweet. Finally, the staff is really friendly and the space is awesome, with nice decor and a ton of seating. 10000% coming here whenever I'm in the area!

Really busy when we got inside, but we were able to order relatively quickly and find a seat to wait for the drinks. I ordered the dingdong oolong tea with fresh milk and with Boba, I adjusted the sweetness to light sweet and light ice. To be honest, the tea flavor was really weak, and it was very milky, I'm not sure if this was just a ratio that was off, but I was really hoping for a much stronger tea flavor given the accolades this place has for its tea... I don't know if I will come back, but would be happy to take any suggestions on a milk tea that has a stronger tea flavor.

I've been thinking about this place ever since I visited! It was very popular whenever it first opened so I was waiting for the lines to die down. This place probably has my favorite boba so far. I ordered the regular bubble milk tea and I could taste the rich flavor of tea and the tapioca balls were just the right texture. Some boba shops make their drinks a bit too sweet but the balance was just right here. 10/10 would recommend to everyone. Inside is bright and it even has a tea tasting counter in the back!

Our new favorite milk tea shop in Houston! Look no further if you want a milk tea with a fantastic 50/50 balance of bold tea flavor and creaminess. This Taiwanese shop freshly brews the tea for each individual drink in a very cool espresso-looking machine, and serves them up quickly and consistently. Service is friendly and fast, and the vibe is sleek and modern with a touch of traditional teahouse. Our favorites: green tea with cream and boba, black tea with cream. The drinks are very fresh tasting with a perfect balance of bold tea flavor with mild sweetness and creamy milkiness (if you order tea with cream). The black tea is very bold, more fragrant and mellow, and more chocolate forward in a way that makes the drink taste a little sweeter and cozier. The green tea is very bright, has a nice refreshing tang, and some complexity to it that blends well with the cream and keeps things interesting with each sip. The boba here has a fantastic texture and is not too sweet. The standard sweetness here is kind of like a 70% sweetness level in most milk tea shops.

Honey osmanthus oolong tea - 9/10 - $6 - Loved the flavor but would prefer the tea to be stronger Jasmine green tea w/cream and boba - 9/10 - Loved how melty and soft the boba was, very creamy Found one of the cutest new bubble tea spots and i loved the flavor of their teas! Im not a boba person anymore but their tapioca was so good.

I'll be honest, Chicha San Chen is not my favorite boba shop. I've tried the location in Austin as well and my sentiment is the same. To me, the teas that I've tried are a bit diluted and watery. I prefer a strong tea flavor, so either Chicha doesn't fit my preferences or I am ordering the wrong things. I will say that the taro balls are delicious and a must order. Ordering is done either at a kiosk or at the counter. Either way your order comes out fast and order numbers are clearly announced. When we visited it was quite crowded, but space and seating was still ample.

Worthy and living up to its Michelin star title in the heart of Chinatown! Came here while they were still on the high of their grand-opening! Definitely had to wait in a long line, it was crowded, and they were doing tea tasting demonstrations! Love the expansive space and seating they provide, even when Chinatown can feel a bit cramped and crowded, they offer great seating to sip their yummy teas with friends - whether during the day or in the evening, can't go wrong with picking up a cup of tea or boba drink at CHICHA! I ordered the "drink of the week" which was the Osmanthus Oolong Mango Tea, and it did not disappoint! You can really taste the clean, crispness of the tea base itself and the mango flavor really shines through too! There's no pulpiness from the fruit like in some other boba tea drinks, and the packaging just rounds out the extra attention to detail when it comes to convenience (drinks come in a sleeve with a twine handle) and overall cuteness factor! I am excited to try their new Peach series too! Something for everyone!

This bubble tea place located by H-Mart is definitely one for tea purists. I ordered the dong ding oolong tea latte, which was tasty with a strong tea flavor. My partner got the taro milk tea, and he noted the taro flavor did not come through as strongly as he would hope. The taro milk tea also comes with mini taro balls inside, which wasn't immediately obvious on the menu. The interior of the restaurant was clean, service was prompt, and parking was ample. I appreciated that the workers used actual (non-powder/syrup) tea leaves, which was a huge bonus. Overall, I would recommend this place to anyone who appreciates a good cup of tea in the Bellaire area.

Not to be dramatic but I found my favorite boba shop in town. I'm never going back to powdered boba drinks LOL. It's an aesthetic place and you can smell the fresh tea leaves when you walk in. They brew it on the spot with their patented teapresso machines (girl you know I had to look up those machines but don't ask how much they are LOL). You can custom make your drink or get a featured drink, which I love taro and had to get the taro milk tea which comes with their taro boba balls (I LOVE THEM), also for you lactose intolerant people like me, this drink has no dairy contrary to the name YIPEE! The barista was super friendly and told us about the dairy free ingredients. We also got a chance to taste test their tea leaves in the back. So cool of an experience and definitely blew our minds. Our drinks were so yummy and not overly sweet so get the sweetness as is, definitely recommend I finished it all in an hour which is a record for me LOL!!! The handles are so cute too. I already told my bf I wanna go back again.

We visited the newly opened Chi Cha San Chen in Houston! I got the oolong milk tea with 30% sugar and less ice. The tea flavor was super rich and fragrant. It's brewed fresh with their tea espresso machine, which is really cool to watch. The whole store smells like roasted tea and it definitely adds to the experience. The line was nearly out the door on a Saturday afternoon. There were a lot of people already inside waiting for their drinks, and not that many tables to sit at. It's definitely more of a grab-and-go kind of spot. The employee told us the estimated wait time was 30-40 minutes. I like how they mention that ahead of time. While we waited, we walked around the nearby Hmart and did a little shopping. Once our drinks were ready, we grabbed some bread from 85°C bakery next door and found some tables. The drink was around $6, almost $7 after tax. A little on the pricier side, so I consider it a special occasion boba.

Upon walking, I was greeted by the warm aroma of herbal tea.They offer certain strands of herbal tea, made into boba. It almost like walking into a craft coffee bar, but instead of coffee, it's tea to boba. Super cool concept, loved that you can even see the tea in the rawest form. Plus the taste is amazing!! The shop itself is quite aesthetic - very warm and inviting. Now that the initial excitement is over, the shop is still steadily busy, but the long lines are gone. They've got a lot of staff working the counter, so the drinks come out relatively fast as well. Highly recommend.

I remember hearing all about the hype of this place when it first opened, and I finally got the chance to check this place out last night. I got the Honey Osmanthus tea, and I finally understood the hype. The tea was perfect, it was just the right amount of sweet and you can taste all the notes and flavor of the tea, but nothing overpowers the other. I understand why they were award with three stars by the International Taste Institute, one word to describe the tea would be - smooth. I tried out the taro bubble milk tea as well and it was pretty good too. The flavor is pretty light, but I really like the texture of the bubbles- I believe they're made from actual taro! I really want to try more drinks and this may just be my new go to spot!

A week after the grand opening, I decided to see what the hype was all about... I waited an hour in line for watered down drinks. So disappointing. I wanted to order the Creamy Mango Tart... but they said they couldn't make it for me? However, they could do the Creamy Lemon Tart. Weird, because they literally used mango in other drinks. I opted for their special of the day, Orange Osmanthus Tea, which was basically watered down tea with orange. My partner ordered the Ding Dong Oolong Tea with Mousse, and same thing; watered down and super bland. Now, before anybody comes at me for not liking actual tea-- I do... just not here. I'm sure the tea is fresh hence why when pouring over ice, it's extremely watered down. I decided to give this place another try because my friends told me that I probably ordered wrong. Guess what? The Creamy Mango Tart was on the menu LOL! We also ordered the High Mountain Pouchong Tea with Passion Fruit. Same thing again; it just all tasted water down, but this time without the 1-hour wait. Based off on the drinks alone, I would give this place a 1-star, but I do really enjoy the concept of fresh strong tea and hope that they can improve their drinks. I give them an extra star because the ambiance is bright and the interior is very clean & pretty. Take a shot for every time I said "watered down"

Hands down, some of the best boba and milk tea in Houston. With the tea equivalent of 3 Michelin stars, Chicha San Chen did not disappoint. Packed with boba enthusiasts alike on a saturday afternoon, it's no wonder this is the new hot spot for your boba fix. I had high expectations going in. Seeing their teapresso set up, I knew the tea taste would be apparent in their milk tea and it definitely was. The bitterness of the tea paired with the sweet and chewy boba was the perfect combination. I will definitely be back to try their other drinks. Though on the pricey side, you get what you pay for in quail-tea.

Have only had awesome drinks here including the Dong Ding Oolong Tea Latte and the Sparkling Orange! The service was solid and you can order either at the register or through a self service screen. The seating is somewhat limited but fairly similar to most boba places. It probably just feels like you can't find a seat because it's always packed! The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that the cost is pretty high and secondly the cups are smaller than most other boba places. The combination of those things really drops the experience for me as you're already paying a premium. Overall I'd say the drinks themselves are definitely in my top three in Houston.

After visiting the Austin location, I was excited when I learned Houston would be blessed with a location as well. Chicha is known for their meticulously measured and brewed teas and their customer service and this place didn't disappoint. When I walked in, the line wasn't too long but I immediately noticed so many workers standing around or on their phones and I would normally be disappointed in that but these days people pick up their devices the moment they aren't busy. The line wasn't long and no one at the time was waiting for a drink and they all were attentive when needed so I guess I couldn't complain. You can either order at the counter or the kiosk. I decided the kiosk and ordering was simple and each drink had a description and picture which was very helpful. I got the mango oolong and added konjac jelly. The workers quickly got to work and the line was cleared in no time. My drink was just as I ordered it, half sweet with light ice, the tea perfectly brewed with a slightly sweet mango twist. Most of my konjac was leftover once I finished my drink but that was a more of a problem with my stainless steel straw than the way the drink was made. There's plenty of seating and the store flawlessly clean, though i didn't check the bathroom. I'm happy that I can try more of the menu now without the two hour drive!

I had high hopes for this place, but I'll have to say that I was disappointed. The restaurant decor is classy, and the store was packed on Friday evening. They were sampling dong ding oolong with cream, and the sample was amazing! What was super disappointing is our actual order seemed different. We asked to have more sweetness added, but it still never tasted like the sample. The fruit tea was refreshing, but nothing special. The Bubble volcano was okay, but also not different than any other brown sugar milk drink I've tasted before. My diagnosis: decent drink place that I will likely not be returning to.

I buy my drinks every single day here. I never had a problem until today, the cashier was super rude! All I asked is if she could login into my phone number, then said it's too late and that I should have told her before I paid. As far as I knew in my past experiences, it didn't matter if I logged in using my phone number before or after, in fact it was an easy fix!!!! Like I said, I'm always there buying my drinks every freaking single day. Will not be coming back!

Came here for the hype since i was told this tea grade to a Michelin type in Taiwan. Honestly i don't think it's that good. It was freshly made. The place is super crowded on the weekends. The hot tea cost about $5 so it's reasonable price.

Easy to order and quick customer service. The menu is straight to the point. I ordered their peach oolong with mousse, it was delicious. The tea tastes fresh, and the sweetness was not overbearing. I wish it came in a bigger size. There's lots of space to sit, but it was quite crowded when we came on a Saturday night. Would recommend trying.

I had the dong ding with light sugar. I love the deep flavor of the tea at this shop. I got the light sugar because I felt like I didn't want a super sweet drink, but it almost had no sweetness to it. I would recommend trying the regular first because I think their usual isn't too sweet either. The place was packed and seating was limited. We sat down on a couple of chairs as soon as another group left. However, the interior was clean well lit and very cute. You could watch them brew the tea with their machines and it was pretty interesting:) I enjoyed my experience with chicha in a couple of other states so I'm so glad they got this started in Houston!!

Oh nah this place ain't it, The hype is not real. The first time I came here it was not a good experience. I thought it was just a bad day since it was extremely busy, so I decided to try it out once more; still same results. The only nice thing that I can say is that the decor is elegant & well put together. I do like that they brew their teas right in front of you. Which should give you an indication that it's going to be fresh and strong right? Not really. This past Friday when I came back it was extremely busy, which is fine because it's still new however, the employee that was outside the counter should have done better of delegating the lines. I couldn't tell if people were waiting for the kiosk or waiting to order from the cashier. Then there were two lines forming to get to one register. People were also skipping the lines. Yeah total chaos. Here's the four drinks I've ordered. * Mango green tea- little tea flavor & it tasted a little watered down. 2/5 * Taro fresh milk- taro balls were hard and not bouncy and chewy. I thought that the taro paste will make the drink taste like taro, but it was like drinking a whole milk. If I'm drinking milk I can just go to the store and grab a gallon of it and get more & pay less. 1/5 * Passion fruit green tea- it was definitely refreshing if you're drinking juice but I paid for my drink to have some green tea in it. 2/5 * Green tea with cream- it was alright. 2.5/5 Overall, this was such a disappointing experience. For 7 bucks + and the cups being pretty small, it was not worth it at all. The employees did their best but I can tell they were overwhelmed with the crowd. Wait time to order & get your drinks was about 40 mins. Will I come back? That's a tough call, I'll probably give them one more chance when it dies down. I might've came on a bad day. So I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

My family and I stopped in after our week night dinner, and the hype is real! Although it was almost time for closing around 9pm, the store was packed. The store had plenty of seating and was very clean. I ordered a mango high mountain pouchong tea, less sweet, and with boba. It's really cool because they make each drink to order and to exact measurements using scales. Although they were crowded, it was easy to follow the TV in store to follow the progress of your order. Would return to try their samples during the day!

DO NOT CHANGE THE SUGAR! There's a reason why they call it PERFECT sugar! I went to Chicha in Atlanta and it tastes exactly the same here. My first mistake was changing the sugar levels (I'm not a sweet person) and that ended up sucking so I decided not to mess with perfection and it was THE BEST! My GO TO drink: Cassia Black Tea + Cream + Bubbles Perfect Sugar, less Ice.

My favorite drink in the world is bubble milk tea. Being Taiwanese or brings back a lot of nostalgia for me! This is a new store located next to 85 and the old Mr Wish. The interior looks nicer than most tea shops. They had a ton of staff standing around and a little kid helping which was a little strange. It was crowded when we went but they have a kiosk you can order from. I love they focus on the tea leave brewing. They even have a demonstration area where you can try different teas types. The tea flavor was strong in my oolong tea. The taro pearls were ok didn't have much taste. I would stick to the boba.

I visited here after hearing they were new in town and actually came to Dallas first before coming here to Houston. Once inside, even though there was a huge group right before me, it took them a long time to figure out what they want and where to actually order, so I just made my own line and ended up in front of them luckily. Chicka was giving away free samples of cassia with cream but I ended up choosing the regular milk tea, peach green tea with konjac, and sparkling orange with konjac. Inside is nice and modern with tea leaves pasted to the wall insets, a tea bar at the rear for demonstration purposes, and an open prep area with clear glass showing the science of the tea making process. They had just opened so there were a ton of customers inside and a handful of customers just hanging out outside as well. One of the things they are known for are the way they wrap your drink when you pick it up at the counter. With a drink holder and twine to make it look like a handle, although I don't feel all that comfortable grabbing that handle. My favorite of the ones I ordered was easily the peach green tea. The milk tea was pretty standard, although the tea is good quality and the boba are served warm and fresh in the drink. If you like Fanta Orange, then the sparkling orange drink is along the same lines. They have tables inside and I was lucky enough to grab one of the last open ones. Service was pretty similar to most boba shops in town. Parking was easy for me, but I think I just got lucky.

Lines moved quite fast on a friday night! Got the mango osmanthus and dong ding oolong milk tea. The mango osmanthus tea was refreshing and not too sweet. The boba in the milk tea was qq/chewy. My friend got the Taro bubble milk tea with green tea and it was actually my favorite tea. I will try to get a drink next time with their green tea. Twas light and had a nice tea taste. They even had a tea demo area where they let you sample the diff types of teas they offered. Limited seating and parking is within the sinh sinh plaza. P.S don't adjust your sweetness level if you like it sweet. The tea already comes less sweet.

Worth the hype and worth the wait. When you drive up you'll likely see a massive line, but it goes by at a decent rate if you have some time to wait. You can really taste the freshly brewed tea in each drink. They also have a complimentary sampling station inside for competition level tea. You can see the workers measure out everything on a scale so you know the drinks here are precisely and consistently made. They don't really have an expansive menu selection like how some other boba shops have slushies, yakult, or various fruit drinks creations, but that's because the specialize in freshly brewed tea here. Would highly recommend this place if you want a no frills boba shop that excels in showcasing classic boba tea straight from the motherland.

This Michelin-starred boba shop is everything. As a tea lover, I was instantly obsessed--the smell when you walk in is dreamy. It's super busy with long lines, but totally worth it! I got the osmanthus oolong tea and it was perfection. Fresh boba, amazing flavor, great vibes. 10/10 would wait in line again.

I went here early on a Friday night. It was not as crowded as when I first drove by. I've had Chicha San Chen before, and this was the same quality! The wait time was ~10-15 minutes after ordering. This is not so bad considering that they brew the teas fresh. They have a kiosk you can use to order your drinks. They also have sample drinks you can try! I would recommend trying this place early or before those peak times so you won't have to wait long in the line to order.

Really good. The boba is good. The fruit is fresh. There are so many employees so when a wave of people came in, drinks were made super quickly. The inside is really cute too.

Bellaire as a whole is always growing and developing. And with that in mind, I had to give the new kid on the block a try in Chicha San Chen. I am not very familiar with the business but have heard they are very successful in Taiwan. It was a very jam packed day and I had the opportunity to stop in to catch a glimpse into the business. Besides the long lines and close proximity to others ordering and waiting for order numbers to be called, the interior is very nice. There is a section to sample the various teas and seating as a fair amount. Drink wise, I wanted to try the taro milk tea with boba and their original latte drink, I can't recall the name but should be their recommended best seller one. The taro milk tea was solid. I did not think it was too heavy on the taro itself or being masked by the tea which was nice. The boba was a nice chewy consistency, no issues. The latte drink was nice pick too. The tea they use is light and refreshing and not overly overpowering. It was a nice compliment to go with the milk which both are a good pair. Overall the visit to Chicha San Chen was a good one. The staff are working very diligent with the various stations. Though the crowd is huge, they stay poised and managed very well. I would like to revisit when the hype is down but the remarks are none in my case. I do enjoy the nice twine cup holder which is very unique and saves from the use of a plastic bag. They are off to a good start and I hope it will carry on through once a couple months in.

Chicha San Chen has been blowing up the internet and Insta....so what do I do?...I go and try it out. Let me tell you what, it did not disappoint whatsoever! From the very nice staff to Cecilia at the tea bar, the experience and the drinks were amazing!! I highly recommend you check out the tea bar (it's free)!! Have an amazing tea time!! ChowChow Time!!

Chicha San Chen finally made it's way to Houston! This popular boba chain from Taiwan has the equivalent of "3 Michelin stars" in the tea world apparently. Walking in on a Thurs night around 9pm, this place was PACKED! The line to order was quick since they have a seperate cashier line and an ordering tablet line. What takes awhile though is waiting for your drink to be made. Luckily, the teas take time because they are only made to order which helps ensure their high quality and consistency. I specifically tried their original milk tea w/ tapioca less ice and 50% sugar, as well as their mango high mountain pouchong tea w/ tapioca. I'd definitely get both of these drinks again! I'm just hoping that next time I come back whenever they're less crowded. The grand opening hype is real, cheers!

Two weeks after grand opening, the lines are visibly shorter and the front door can properly close without lines extending into the public pathway. I only had to wait less than five minutes before my turn to order, but the wait to receive your drink is another story. Since this was my second time at Chicha (first time was in different location), I immediately went to the Dong Ding Oolong Tea Latte with added bubble topping given my great experience with it my first time, and added a new tasting for Taro Bubble Milk Tea. All orders were made with 50% sugar and light ice. One thing I'll mention about the drinks here is that since the tea is freshly brewed, the aroma and taste is very strong, so 50% sugar still doesn't taste like much and you will still have a strong tea flavor. If you prefer your drinks more balanced, this is the one place that I'd recommend going for 75% or 100% sugar. Pro tip: if you plan to visit during the next few weeks while the place is still under grand opening hype, maybe consider ordering in store then go shop at neighboring Hmart or elsewhere for half hour and return after to grab your drinks. Pro tip #2: if you order the taro bubble milk tea, they give you two options for black tea or green tea. According to the cashier, black tea aftertaste is stronger and green tea is more refreshing. Take that as you will. I don't think I've ever tried taro milk with tea anywhere else, so this can be your experimental drink if you're aiming to try something new. Pro tip #3: the store tends to cycle through a few different specialty drinks. The custom drink this weekend was osmanthus mango, and from what I hear, it's pretty good. If you jot down the order name for the specialty drinks, you can still order it in future weeks even if it's no longer featured. Overall, the staff here are well trained, professional, and very friendly. The setup also accommodates good seating arrangements that is unbothered from the lines. The drinks are deserving of all the praise and recognition; it's a premium that you can taste.

The first Houston CHICHA San Chen location just recently opened in the Bellaire area, so I figured it was worth a shot to try it out for the first time. I ordered the Bubble Milk Tea and Honey Osthmanthus Oolong Tea with Grass Jelly, and I will say I prefer the pure tea more than the milk tea here. The milk tea has a distinct "floury" flavor to me, and it personally wasn't my favorite. The tapioca pearls themselves had the same "floury" taste as well, and it wasn't as sweet to my preference. The honey osthmanthus oolong tea tasted much better, with a light, refreshing taste that has a hint of an underlying fruity flavor alongside the soft grass jelly, and it was very enjoyable on a hot day. I would return for this drink alone! The baristas were very helpful in answering my questions about trying the drinks for the first time, and I would say the drinks came out at a reasonable amount of time considering how crowded this location is. The interior is beautifully decorated and well-lit, giving a clean modern look! However, this does not look to be a work-friendly spot or a good place for friend meetups, as the tables are primarily used as waiting spaces for customers.

A friend and I came here to try out their drinks on a Monday around 7 pm. When you go in, there may be two lines. One to order via iPad and the other is with a person. If you go with the cashier with a person, you can smell different types of teas that are offered before ordering. The staff is super friendly and helpful. We picked the creamy lemon tart and green tea with cream. Their other teas look amazing so I'll be back to try them! I like how they had a hanging cup thing . I saw something like this in Taiwan. If you like sour lemonade with a hint of tea, get the lemon tart. The creamy green tea has a gentle taste. Two of their teas smell like different strengths of orange chocolates. All of the teas smelt amazing. There are tables and chairs so it looks like a good place to study. The decor is simple and goes well with the tea theme. And the smell! Omg, it smells soooo good and relaxing here. Truly aromatic. It almost makes me think of p7 perfumes, a Taiwanese brand that has won global awards. Parking is free and out front.

This is my long time wait boba shop to be open here in Houston. I had tried this franchise initially at their Seattle location. They took their time and the quality of their tea really paid off. It was amazing! However, their Houston shop needs to adjust on the tea quality. Their tea tastes water down and not as good as the one in Austin or Seattle I had previously tried. Hopefully, once the opening hyped is over, they seriously need to retrain their staff or have more tea pressed machine to compensate for the volume of customer. We waited almost 1 hour for the drink that didn't even taste good. Ambiance is nice and spacious with limited seating.

Great new boba place omg, especially if you're a fan of how they do milk teas back in china. My review is only for their milk teas btw. Pros: First, this place smells fantastic. It has a very unique and fragrant tea scent where other boba places have a cloying overly sweet scent. The interior is also adorable. Packaging is cute too. IMO the star of this place is their Green tea with cream. Hands down my favorite milk tea here in HTX, based only on the drink itself. It's the perfect balance of fragrant tea, creamer, and sweetener. Many places here are overly loaded with sugar and creamer so I'm not a big fan. So if you like your drinks on the lighter, more refreshing side with an emphasis on tea, which is currently popular in china, then you'll love this drink. My only negative id say is that not every drink is great. The oolong could've had a touch more creamer and sweetener since it's a darker tea. I wasn't a fan of the cassia drink, but the standard milk tea was quite good. The boba was ok, not notably good. It was a little bland and the could've been cooked just a minute or so less. I can't say how quick they are. I came during opening week so it was packed but I think it'll be a lot better once there's less ppl coming in and ordering like a whole bag of drinks. I waited maybe 25 mins for 4 drinks so honestly not bad for opening crowd.

It was our first time here to see what all the hype was about. I ordered a mango green tea that was less than memorable. The shop was very crowded which took away from the ambiance. The tea tasting station was also closed. I'm willing to give it another try, but for these inflated prices, I won't be back in a hurry.

We stopped by at 12:45 pm on the second day of opening and it took an hour to get our drinks. We enjoyed our drinks. Strong tea flavor and not too sweet. I usually get 50% sweet at other tea shops and feel like that is the equivalent to their "perfect" sweetness. If you get boba, it will be sweeter. Recommend going when all the hype dies down. 1 hour wait for milk tea is crazy- even though we did it, would not recommend haha.