Forest Tea Bar

Very high quality and delicious matcha. We got the strawberry and the hojicha, both very tasty and good balanced flavors. The cafe was very clean, chill, and relaxing atmosphere. I probably wouldn't wait over 30 minutes for two drinks again, but it was a fun experience and delicious drinks.

Clean, quiet and peaceful cafe offering drinks and ice cream. They have vegan (cashew and oat) options for milk and dairy-free ice cream as well. Everything was delicious but would recommend changing the orientation of the order screen away from the door so the line naturally forms to the side (instead of blocking the door). Overall, amazing service and quality so will definitely be back.

Some of the best matcha I've had in the bay. I really appreciate the effort put into every single cup and it's aesthetically pleasing watching them whisk by hand. None of the matcha flavor is watered down, the syrups aren't overly sweet or artificially tasting. The atmosphere of the cafe along with how welcoming the baristas are, all contribute to a serene and friendly experience. Great place to unwind from the day to day.

All the matcha drinks were delicious!! Smooth, not too sweet—just really balanced. The immunity boost was especially good. The raw honey paired perfectly with the matcha, adding a touch of sweetness and spice in a way that was perfectly mixed. Also, you can tell they use quality ingredients. The black sesame was super smooth and nutty, and it complemented the matcha. The rose matcha was also amazing—fragrant and not overpowering. The interior was stylish and modern, with a calm, relaxing vibe that made it a great place to hang out or get some work done. Definitely coming back!

I love the ceremonial grade matcha! It has a really nice smooth and rich flavor. The ice cream options are pretty diverse, too. I definitely plan to try them all! Also, the atmosphere and staff make the drinks a delight to enjoy there.

Hands down best matcha latte in the Bay. Very generous with matcha servings. Staff are super friendly and easy to talk to. Atmosphere is very relaxing and the shop is tastefully decorated. The lines can get a bit long but definitely worth the wait!

If you don’t like Matcha or matcha that doesn’t taste like Matcha come to this place. I get that they’re still in their soft opening phase, but waiting 50 minutes and then continuing to let customers order without that warning is terrible. Nothing is worth 50 minutes of waiting time. I got the Rose Matcha and my friend got the Horjicha and both were watery as heck. I will not be coming back. When I asked them to post a sign up about the wait time, they apologied but looked at me crazy. Dead.

I got the hojicha and it was hands-down the BEST hojicha I’ve ever tried in the bay!!! The hojicha was so rich and my drink was sweetened perfectly—not too sweet, which didn’t steal the thunder away from the hojicha’s notes and flavor! I do want to disclose that they did take over an hour for my drink to be ready, BUT I went for their soft opening and so many people were there (there were around 25 orders ahead of mine). They whisk the hojicha and ceremonial matcha right in front of you, which was a blast to see. The ambience was great! I’d definitely go again when they have less customers.

It's really hard to find a good quality matcha spot that matches its hype on Instagram. We were glad to find that Forest tea bar does indeed live up it to online reputation. We got the matcha latte and the uji matcha was strong / high quality as promised. I wished they also had regular milk as an option as I'm not a fan of the additives in oat milk. Overall it was a good experience and the cafe is bright and airy with plenty of seating. Ordering was also a breeze with the touchscreen!

I wanted to like Forest Tea Bar so badly. It's been a while since I've been so excited to try a matcha cafe but this was a pretty big disappointment. It wasn't bad but definitely overhyped. We got here at 5:30 on a Sunday, half an hour before closing. There were three people in front of us so we got our drinks quickly. The matcha was grainy and weak despite the bold colors from photos. The black sesame matcha was just black sesame milk. The hojicha was good though, smooth and nutty! I really appreciated how the baseline milk is oat. Fantastic bar service and the experience and ambiance are definitely great.

Excited to have a specialty matcha bar in the east bay! They're currently in soft opening so not everything in the menu is available but I can't wait till it does! I have my eye on that tofu soft serve! The wait is a little long, but totally understandable because they handwhisk everything! The standouts so far: genmaicha latte and the fact that the DEFAULT milk is oat!! YAY!!

Seen Forest Tea Bar all over my social media and even a news article-- naturally had to come check it out for myself. Visited with my sister on a Sunday afternoon (around 4pm). Thankfully it wasn't super busy. There were still a lot of people inside, sitting, chatting and waiting for drinks. The ambiance inside is so serene and peaceful, even amongst the chatter. I like the way the bar is set up so you can see the baristas making the drinks. It feels like a performance. We tried the Sesame Matcha Latte and Uji Matcha Latte. Liked that their default is Oat Milk-- with a good ratio too. Both drinks were very tasty. The matcha flavor was rich and both were not too sweet. The sesame matcha was very potent. You could argue that the default cup size is small but I thought it was just right. Overall, I think they've had a strong start to their soft opening and I bet they'll get better as time goes on!

After three years of waiting, Three Tea Bowls has finally reopened! I came by today during the week of the soft opening with much excitement. I read reviews that people were waiting over an hour for their orders so I showed up right at opening and got in an already existing line at 11:02am. I anticipated a long wait but from my arrival to when I got my drink in hand was exactly 27 minutes, so not bad at all. When you go in, you order on a kiosk. Then on the left side, there's another screen that will show you how much orders are ahead of you. They also had a paper sign they were updating with how long of a wait it might be. There's indoor and outdoor seating, which got full fast, but plenty were taking orders to go or leaving when they were done so seats would free up periodically. I sat there for a couple of hours reading my book and there was a line the entire time, so it's great to see people coming by, but there were a few moments where the line was almost non-existent. I'm so glad to see Three Tea Bowls has reopened, stayed fully vegan, and has maintained a similar menu to their Berkeley pop up days. For anyone wondering, they use unrefined cane sugar to sweeten their drinks, so they are truly vegan. There is no honey in the syrups and no refined sugar being used. The default milk is oat milk, or you can pay $1 to switch to cashew milk. Once again, I got an iced rose matcha latte with oat milk today, after three years, and it did not disappoint. I have been actively monitoring their Instagram waiting for the reopening the day finally came. I didn't mix mine well before having my first few sips out of excitement so I ended up getting a huge burst of just the rose syrup which was delicious but also so sweet when unmixed. So when I did mix, my taste buds had already been doused with over sweetness, that then it didn't feel sweet at all. Reading my previous review from three years ago, all the same things are true. The rose is subtle and you can definitely taste the matcha which is really nice. It's still very creamy. I can't wait to come back. I will be working my way through every item on the menu. A fully vegan matcha cafe, straight out of my dreams! Heads up, they do use bamboo straws and my first straw broke from mixing so hard so be careful. It's easier to mix with the straw before you put the lid on. There is parking in front and also plenty of options in the surrounding residential streets. If you are thinking about visiting, don't think twice, highly recommend! I'm so happy they are back!!

This place feels like a labor of love and a passion project for someone who really cares about excellent matcha. Arrived ten minutes after opening (11:10a) on Sunday and waited in line for about eight minutes to place my order at the kiosk. You can see the staff mixing each drink to order with lots of love and focus on each ingredient and step in the process. My order took 30 minutes to come out, but I didn't mind at all because there is nice outdoor seating to relax in and there is a screen that shows what drinks they're working on so you have an idea of when where you are in line. Default milk is oat (Califia barista blend) and only other option is house cashew. Excellent for any non-dairy friends. Hojicha latte - (hot) excellent flavor and texture. They use a lot of Hojicha so the texture is nice and thick. It's mixed beautifully too, especially for how much powder they use - it's the first time I got to the bottom of a drink and there were no lumps of unmixed powder at the bottom Black sesame matcha latte - (hot) black sesame flavor is so good, nutty and toasty. It does overpower the matcha though, so if you are looking for a stronger Matcha flavor, I would go with a different flavor drink. Also extremely well made, lots of attention to detail, I really enjoyed both drinks. Good job Forest Tea Bar team! Excited to come back

Soft Opening Review. They used to do pop-ups and just opened their own storefront! Ordered: - Uji Matcha Latte - Black Sesame Matcha Latte - Hojicha Latte Their default milk is oat milk, but they also offer house made cashew milk for an additional charge. The matcha is high quality and handwhisked right in front of you. I was actually surprised by the hojicha as it's probably one of the best I've ever had. The black sesame matcha latte worked well together and did not overpower the matcha even though the black sesame paste looked pretty thick. The vibe is minimalistic with an aesthetic interior. Overall, I'm SO happy about this new addition to Berkeley. Definitely my new go to matcha spot in this area!

Everyone's here for the matcha tea but I was intrigued by the tofu ice cream - yay. I spied a kakigori maker in the back of the shop, hope to see some on the menu soon!

I came by with my bestfriend who's a HUGE matcha enthusiast on mid day sunday! Line was pretty long , but did not reach out the door yet. We looked on the menu outside before standing in line inside. Inside is not insanely huge so there was a bit of a crowd. I thought the decorations all around were so beautiful to look at. It was also nice to see people handcrafting each matcha drink as well. It took about 20 mins to receive our order. We got the organic black sesame matcha latte and the organic rose matcha latte (sub w cashew milk). Both tasted yummy. For the black sesame matcha latte, the sweetness of this drink comes from the black sesame. The black sesame did eventually overpower the taste of the matcha. 8/10 As for the rose matcha latte, It is super creamy and lightly sweetened. We couldn't taste the matcha as strong but that's maybe cause we got cashew milk 7/10 . It tasted more nutty. Overall, I had a great experience here and do recommend for people to come and try!

So glad we happened to try Forest Tea Bar on the Friday of their soft opening! The line wasn't too bad (unlike what I saw that weekend) and the wait we did have was so worth it. The zen atmosphere and their interesting flavor options definitely have me wanting to go back soon. We ordered their signature Black Sesame Matcha Latte and their Genmaicha Matcha Latte, the second was my absolute favorite flavor of matcha I've had and so unique! Pros: - quality matcha - unique matcha latte flavors - peaceful atmosphere - small bench/table seating - bar-type service, so you can see the workers making every drink Cons: - no bathroom - no wifi; generally not a good working cafe

the flavor is amazing and i love the sesame with it! everything is hand crafted which is a great touch but for a saturday afternoon, we did wait 80 mins so be prepared for that it gets crowded with the long wait

If you're searching for a high-quality, solid matcha spot, I highly recommend Forest Tea Bar. Not only is the matcha incredible, but there's something special about being able to watch them make your drink... t's like a quiet ritual, and honestly, chef's kiss. The ambiance is so calming, it feels like stepping into a little pocket of matcha heaven. Whether you're treating yourself to a solo date or catching up with friends, this place is easily one of the best. I personally tried the organic Matcha latte with no sweetner which had strong flavors - personally i appreciated as im not a huge sweets person. but for someone who's used to their Matcha with a bit of sweetness or prefer that, then you might want to add sweetener or opt for a different drink. A much sweeter drink, but was still very delicious that I recommend would be the organic black sesame Matcha latte. The Strong flavors of the black sesame with the matcha was an unexpectedly great pairing. - very limited indoor and outdoor seating available - street parking available along with some public parking structures nearby

i think this place is new and when i came, it was packed. the place is not that big and you need to order through kiosk. ambiance is ok. have to be patient to wait, it is matcha. very excited once got my order but i will say taste is just ok. the blue lotus tea is almost tasteless for me, just feel like drinking hot water but the presentation is great...

Waited for about 10min around 1pm which is pretty ok. The matcha latte was good but wish they had a regular milk option.

Forest Tea Bar is a new matcha spot serving authentic matcha lattes located next to the Equinox on Shattuck. Pulled up on a Saturday and the line wasn't too bad, but they did pause orders for 30 minutes. They're currently open Fri-Sun only, so plan ahead. Limited seating, aesthetic ambiance, and oat milk is their default. Tried all 3 of their classic matcha lattes and ranking goes uji,gen,original Uji - Sweet, your classic matcha latte GenMatcha - Had a sharp nutty, roasted flavor almost like hojicha. After taste reminded me of a popcorn milk tea. Has a punch to it Original - Smooth and slightly savory Overall good spot, think the best you'll find in the east bay. And for that, it's a 5/5

Came to visit during their soft opening on a late Friday afternoon and was pleasantly impressed by the aesthetics and beauty of the cafe itself. This is definitely a nice and cozy spot where people can come to study and do work. The place itself is not too big, with limited tables and seating. What we ordered: * Genmaicha Matcha Latte * Hojicha Latte The default milk is oat milk which is really nice for people that are lactose intolerant, but they also offer a cashew milk option (that was sold out at the time). They also had three sweetener options and I opted for the raw honey on the matcha and the organic cane sugar on the other. First impressions, the wait took a little over an hour for 2 drinks. I ordered at 3:42pm and got my drinks at 4:51pm after the original estimated time was 4:07pm. They had a tablet on the side to track the status of your order, but due to the long wait times and big crowd... it took longer than anticipated and the estimated wait time was not accurate anymore. The ordering system is through snackpass so hopefully they'll open up orders in advance down the line. However, I can't fully fault them for the long wait since they handwhisked each drink and there's only two baristas working to make each drink. In terms of authenticity, the drinks reminds me of matcha drinks I had in Japan! It wasn't very sweet, so if you tend to like sweeter drinks then this place isn't for you. The flavor profile of the matcha is more on the nutty slightly bitter side. Personally, I liked the Hojicha more than the matcha, but most likely would not come back.

Forest Tea Bar has been popping up on my insta so when I happened to be near downtown Berkeley, I decided to pop into their soft opening! I echo what everyone has said so far - the wait is definitely much higher than ideal, probably took around 45 min to get my one drink. Just set your expectations about the wait time while they're figuring out operations. The latte itself was soooo delicious! I ordered a genmaicha matcha latte, a combo that I'd never had before but it worked so well. I chose oat milk and raw honey as the sweetener. The genmaicha really stood out in the aftertaste while the matcha was how I like it, very strong. Would definitely come back to try some of their other drinks, though probably after they've worked out their kinks.

Heading to South Berkeley after getting off at Ashby BART station and walking six tiny blocks; that would've been tough, especially when getting back home late. Once I head over to where many people hang out, that's when it got tougher with a very long wait. Since Forest Tea Bar in Shattuck Ave opens every Friday to Sunday, many people had to wait in line to get their online order. At least I got to have some free time watching vibrant folks chat and drink matcha tea even if I have to wait for almost one full hour. The smell of hojicha flavor was permeating throughout the atmosphere while the mist humidifier eased us when coming inside. Waiting for almost an hour made me a bit tense than trying to relax, but patience is more rewarding when getting the matcha drink I purchased. After all, everyone else were waiting to receive their order. The moment the clock reaches 6 pm, one of the matcha baristas have to shut down the online order; well that took one of them to respond after few minutes. So far, I only see two to three baristas working on making ceremonial grade matcha tea drinks. Any barista was taking turns whisking matcha while the other pouring coconut milk or black sesame. With many different bamboo whisks and ceramic bowls with spouts, I believe hand whisk matcha drinks are way better than frothy ones. Contactless payment and just as expensive, I had with me a straight-up iced sugarless sparkling matcha followed up with matcha cashew ice cream! Might come back one day for a matcha bowl that is more than bold and umami.

new solid matcha spot in berkeley!! this really reminded me of the lattes i make at home; aka a solid tea : milk : sugar ratio, and a matcha blend that actually tastes good w milk the matcha they use is a quite nutty, sweet, and umami-forward, which ties in really nicely w oat milk (their default milk) they also have wifi and some tables! it's quite small tho, was getting really packed at around 1 pm. overall rly enjoyed :-), will be coming back to try their more fun drinks!

Some of the best matcha I've had in the bay. I really appreciate the effort put into every single cup and it's aesthetically pleasing watching them whisk by hand. None of the matcha flavor is watered down, the syrups aren't overly sweet or artificially tasting. The atmosphere of the cafe along with how welcoming the baristas are, all contribute to a serene and friendly experience. Great place to unwind from the day to day.

Amazing service and the matcha is soooo good. Both the black sesame matcha and original were delicious.

1 hour wait on a Friday evening, not worth it for matcha. What a waste of time. Wouldn't come back unless they figured out how to expedite orders, hire more employees.

Their tofu matcha ice cream is really good. It was the only thing I ordered, but the wait time was still really long. (40 min) I visited a second time and reordered the ice cream, and it still took them an hour. Which is interesting because their ice cream is already made. The only thing they'd have to do is scoop it.... I'd visit again if they figure out how to expedite their orders.

I know it's their first week, but to have to wait 55 min for the 1 matcha latte I ordered? So sad. The screen of estimated time was not accurate. After 40 min of waiting, the screen said 3 min... then 5... then ... 10... till it went to 18 minutes. At that point I left. I don't have all day to wait for my drink. Two stars because it looks like they use actual good matcha, and the traditional tools to make it. But 8 bucks for a drink I wasn't even able to enjoy? I really was excited, especially since I was only in town for the day. :(

Been following Three Tea Bowls for a long time now and was super excited when they announced they were going to open up their own storefront! I went during the 2nd week of their soft opening and it was packed, but that is to be expected. Though my favorite drink wasn't on the menu anymore, they do now have a bunch of other goodies to try out. I tried their genmaichai matcha latte and I wasn't sure what it was at first, but it was delicious! Never had anything like this in the states. I can't wait to try more later on once the lines start to shorten up.