James L.
Google
**4.5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨ Little Bean Rowland Heights: Classic Taiwanese Boba Nostalgia with Room to Grow**
Tucked in the heart of Rowland Heights' bustling Colima Road plaza, **Little Bean** is the quintessential old-school Taiwanese boba shop that feels like a time capsule from the early 2000s golden era 🧋❤️. The vibe hits instantly—faded posters of pearl milk tea, plastic bucket seats, that familiar hum of the shaker machine, and aunties behind the counter slinging drinks with practiced speed. It's the kind of place where families pile in after dinner, students study in corners, and everyone knows the menu by heart.
The classics are still spot-on. The **black milk tea** is perfectly balanced—strong Ceylon brew, creamy nondairy creamer, chewy house-cooked tapioca that's soft yet QQ without falling apart. **Taro fresh milk** shines with real taro chunks blended smooth, earthy sweetness that doesn't taste artificial. Pudding is silky, grass jelly bouncy, and the **aloe vera** adds refreshing crunch. Everything tastes like the comforting Taiwanese boba I grew up with—no trendy gimmicks, just honest execution.
Service is warm and lightning-fast, even during peak hours. The outdoor patio is great for people-watching, and it's dog-friendly on slower days.
That said, points deducted because some **ingredients** feel like they've stayed the same while others have moved on—the pearls occasionally batch inconsistent (some nights perfect, others slightly hard), and the tea base could use fresher leaves. The interior also needs love: **renovations** haven't kept up—worn booths, peeling wallpaper, dim lighting that makes it feel dated rather than charmingly retro.
Little Bean remains a reliable SGV staple for that classic Taiwanese boba fix, especially when you want nostalgia over novelty. I'll keep coming back for the taro milk, but hope they refresh things soon to match the competition. Still one of Rowland Heights' OGs worth supporting.