Nora C.
Yelp
SecreTea Ratings: 3.4/5
Food: 2.25/5 - I was so excited to finally try out this place with my boyfriend, and it was a major disappointment. I had high expectations about SecreTea, because of the high Yelp reviews, but it definitely does not live up the 4.5 stars. See the descriptions below of the two drinks.
- Jasmine Milk Tea w/ Boba [SKIP]: My boyfriend got this drink at 25% sugar level and less ice, but it was still too overly sweet. There is not a strong jasmine tea flavor, more like drinking a regular milk tea. The biggest disappointment was the boba. It was hard AF, not chewy with a horrible texture, and probably the worst boba I have ever had in the DMV area.
- Taro Milk Tea w/ Boba [SKIP]: I asked for 25% sugar level with less ice, and it tasted more like 75 - 100% sugar. So sweet that I was considering having them remake my drink. The taro flavor was lacking too, tasted very artificial and I was not a big fan. The boba is the same as how I described it for the jasmine milk tea, hard AF.
Ambiance: 4/5 - Located near GWU campus with a small store front, but interior is much bigger than expected. There's a good number of tables and chairs / cushions for you to sit, and interior design is quite intimate and lovely. They got a cute and kawaii corner for you to take Instagram-able pictures with neon lights. Expect it to be crowded though.
Price: 3.75/5 - The prices are reasonable and on the cheaper side compared to other places in DC, but the quality was not worth. The jasmine milk tea w/ boba is $5.25 and the taro milk tea w/ boba is $5.70 (boba is $.075 additional, but I already added in the price listed above). The total came up to be around $12.
Service: 3.75/5 - Staffs were quite friendly and welcoming, and able to answer my questions and provide suggestions. Our drinks came out pretty fast too despite it was quite packed inside. The downside was the container was wet and really sticky, staffs probably didn't wipe it before handing it to us, causing me to have sticky fingers, LOL.
BLUF: Pretty boba shop with a Instagram-able vibes, but if you are a boba drink lover, this might not be the place for you. The drinks are lacking flavors and boba is just not up to my standards. Save you money for other boba shops in DC, and I will probably not return again, unless I had no choice.