Tai Chi Bubble Tea

Bubble tea store · Little Italy

Tai Chi Bubble Tea

Bubble tea store · Little Italy

1158 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607

Highlights

Offers bubble tea, poke bowls, ramen, and sushi burritos

1158 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607 Get directions

taichibubbleteail.com

$ · Menu

@olivia.l

A visit to Tai Chi Bubble Tea has become an event that many eagerly anticipate. Whether it's local patrons seeking out the delicious bubble tea and other treats, or just people passing through looking for a refreshing beverage, there's no denying the appeal thatTai Chi Bubble Tea has. On the two occasions that this writer dropped by, the atmosphere of the cafe was always warm and inviting, with it's open and light decor, contrasted with vibrant pops of color here and there. Patrons will often find themselves immersed in the delightful aromas of freshly brewed proteins and teas that elicit nostalgia and comfort. The bubble teas and other drinks on offer at Tai Chi Bubble Tea really hits the spot.

The top 8 places to get Bubble Tea in Chicago [2023]

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@olivia.l

Tai Chi Bubble Tea is an inviting eatery and studies dream come true. Nestled in the heart of the UIC campus, this space has it all. From cozy, comfortable seating to an upper-level study room, there's no lack of options for relaxation and productivity. With a décor that perfectly blends greenery, serene elements, and an inviting atmosphere, it's easy to fall instantly in love with the eatery. The menu boasts plenty of Taiwanese favorites, and any visitor is sure to find something that pleases their palate. From Eel Rice Bowls to POKEmazing Bowls, there are plenty of delicious options to choose from.

The top 8 places to get Bubble Tea in Chicago [2023]

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Brie Chen

Google

I absolutely loved this place - the ramen was well flavored and had really good spice to it, and the noodles were nice and chewy as well. I loved the crab rangoons as well, and the boba was enjoyable!

Damian Panek

Google

Pretty good boba. Got the strawberry milktea with tapioca. The tapioca has just a plain taste but still good. The actual drink tasted pretty good.

Jade Lim

Google

This cafe is great place to visit when you need to find somewhere to study. They have a second floor study room and it is also a great place to hang with friends. The aesthetic gives off greenery nature and relaxing vibes to it. I have tried the eel rice bowl and it was tasty. I give it a 9/10.

Grace A

Google

EVERYTHING WAS SO FLAVORFUL! I had ordered a POKEmazing bowl and it was so delicious 😋 and fresh🔥 even when I had lunch hours after picking up. I also had tried the mango milk tea and brown sugar milk tea, they also were amazing you have to try!🧋 My order was made very quick even during all the orders they had. Thank you so much will be returning to try more! ❤️‍🔥

Dante

Google

First off, love where it's located. Area is so cute and lovely to walk around. It's right next to UIC, so lots of students are around. The cafe itself is super roomy and has a nice lounging area upstairs.

annie

Google

Great place near UIC for some boba and poke bowls. I always get fruit teas and they never disappoint. The poke bowls are good with a pretty large portion for their price. I always end up with leftovers when I get them. They have more seating on the second level as well for people to dine in. Nice and quiet on most days for anyone who wants to have a little study session there. Not to mention, they offer a student discount with proof of ID.

Anastasia Kopp

Google

I love this place I come all the time after school. I always get a poke bowl it's super affordable and delicious, plus the boba is really good too. They also have a cozy upstairs seating area.

Katie

Google

Suuuuper good poke bowl and jasmine milk tea! I'm so excited they are close by! The poke bowl was so filling and delicious! I will definitely be returning to try more combinations. I was also very happy that I could adjust the level of sweetness for my milk tea. I ordered less sugar and it's perfect for me!

Roxy H.

Yelp

I didn't come to check out the bubble tea here. We came in for the poke bowls and ramen. I love that they have a little checklist of ingredients that you mark with what you want! Like it's clearly stated what items you'll get charged more for and items that you can get more. My daughter wanted a ramen bowl. One hit of the broth and she was hooked. It's a bit expensive. It's always slow when I visit but not sure if it's the food because the food I've had tasted very very good.

Kristie L.

Yelp

While the poke bowl I got was very good, what I was most excited for was the bubble tea since that's even in the name of this place so I figured it had to be good, right? Unfortunately, what I got was un-bubble tea. Despite ordering a Zang Zang Tea which states on the menu that it includes tapioca pearl, what I received contained absolutely no boba at all, leaving me incredibly disappointed and my bubble tea craving unsatisfied

Isra A.

Yelp

The smoothie consistency was perfect and the taro flavor really shined through. The only caveat was the tapioca which had more of a bite and wasn't that chewy. Not sure if that was an end of day issue and maybe it's better in the morning so not a bad option if you're in the area. The service was quick and the ambiance is nice with plenty of seating

Ferni M.

Yelp

Service is great and the drinks are also really good. The interior looks so nice. I'm a little bummed out that they aren't open on monday but when they are they serve quality food and drinks

Nolan F.

Yelp

They have "make your own" style burrito, rice bowl, and salad bowl. There's also ramen and various types of tea and smoothie drinks. This review is only about drinks. I got black milk tea with boba. Milk tea just tastes sugary, lacking tea flavor. Boba was overcooked, mushy. My friend's Jasmine green milk tea was green color which is just wrong. Maybe they use flavor powders instead of actually brewing tea. In general, the tea flavor in all our drinks was weak. Price is good compared to other tea shops. They have seating upstairs and downstairs. Staff member or manager was nice, willing to adjust one of our drinks multiple times. Follow Instagram - @extranoodles And https://www.yelp.com/collection/8mCXaaKQAQ7hn-PPUG9iXQ?utm_content=Collections&utm_source=ashare

Wendy H.

Yelp

The first time I ordered from here, I added vanilla to my matcha slushee and the vanilla was really overpowering. The second time, I just got matcha. Their boba is soft. The ordering process is a little tedious on their machine because sometimes you don't know if you're supposed to click on the button before proceeding, but at least you don't have to talk to anyone and there's 15% off. The whole place is in plastic so they're definitely taking COVID seriously and they have a box where they place the drinks. The drinks aren't mind-blowing but it'll subside your cravings.

Allison A.

Yelp

The tea was amazing, first time having mango green tea and I added the lychee jelly which was great. I was really excited for ramen b/c I LOVE ramen but was disappointed by the lack of flavor in the broth. The pork belly was really flavorful, so they did good there but the broth wasn't hitting it. If the broth was on point then I would give this a five star.

Võ V.

Yelp

Very good bang for the buck and environmentally friendly. Fresh ingredients, lots of toppings and wide range of green base. I'll definitely come back for more!

Lana J.

Yelp

Premium Beef Rice Bowl. Yuck!!!!no flavor and quality of the beef was not premium. Not worth 14.99 menu price does not reflect the real price. On the menu says 11.99 as I went to pay they said the prices went up. Ok no problem if the food was good. Only gave 1 star because it won't let me give it a 0 star

Maseena G.

Yelp

Great sushi burrito and bubble tea. I pretty much got all the ingredients in the poke bowl and the burrito. I bubble tea was good but I've definitely had better. It's conveniently close to UIC as well and the interior is perfect for studying or having a nice conversation with someone.

Stephon H.

Yelp

Not the biggest fan of this spot. The bubble tea was nothing special, the customer service was ok, but aesthetically pleasing. I got a taro milk tea with tapioca, the tapioca was really tasty. However the drink was ok, sweet and creamy but missing a certain something. Solid place for the area and want a quick lunch.

Camilla N.

Yelp

The food was great! The wooden booths are lovely as well. I do not recommend the purple bubble tea, even though it is the most popular it tasted like it was juul pod flavored to us. Quite random right? But we tried the regular one and it was delicious! Will be back!

Munsanje M.

Yelp

This is my first time trying a boba place like this! I actually loved how they let you pick the amount of ice and sweetness of the boba. Some places tend to do it too sweet so I loved that! I opted for a mango milk tea with extra boba. It did not disappoint at all! This location is perfect too because it has so many food options in the area as well.

Jack K.

Yelp

This review is based solely on the ramen, as that is the only thing I've had the pleasure of trying so far. Ordered through Yelp and GrubHub, they were very quick, and everything was still hot when it came. I got the spicy pork and have no complaints about the noodles or any of the other ingredients, I will only say that the broth wasn't the most flavorful I've ever had - still good, just not great. Having said that I'm thrilled this new spot is in my neighborhood, and I'm excited to try more food. I will definitely be back soon.

Grace L.

Yelp

The Thai Tea takes like powder and watery. The boba was too soft. Disappointed. The ramen was not the type of ramen I tried from other restaurants, instead I called those noodle. The ramen soup was okay- not impressive. The 2 proteins poke rice bowl came with little amount of proteins with that price - not worth it but they gave a lot of toppings, which made me feel better. I do want to point out that they had good customer service. They called me and told me about my ramen was ready to pick up. Will I come back? probably not.

sandra C.

Yelp

I love this place. Always clean, employees are courteous and food is good. Street parking

Francisco A.

Yelp

Large and spacious upstairs. Good food. Mid to high drinks. Good place to snack then do some work.

Nicolas P.

Yelp

The tapioca Taste good with the drink the se service is good its good ambiance is good

Queenie T.

Yelp

I knew it wasn't going to be good the moment I saw my Janine's milk tea being green. I double checked with them making sure that they gave me jasmine green and not matcha. I thought maybe I'm just being picky but I asked multiple people to try and guess what it is no one could tell that it's jasmine green milk tea. By far the worst in Chicago, go try gather tea bar that's on Taylor street

Anida M.

Yelp

Cute little spot near the University.. I got a lychee green tea that was pretty good. Interesting setup though.. they have you (the customer) using their POS system to put in your own order. Craving satisfied!

Erin E.

Yelp

Probably the worst ramen I've ever had. And that includes instant ramen. It was cold and no flavor. Add inattentive staff and you get a very disappointing experience.

Kay Y.

Yelp

They obviously take their pandemic precautions seriously. Pick up food. Got the Thai iced tea - just ok as far as boba goes.

Wayne H.

Yelp

3.5 decent for make your own poke bowl. A few oddities are you have to write down your ingredient choices and most the seating is on the second floor so you have to transport your food and trays up and down.

Albert M.

Yelp

Great service; quick and courteous employees. The place was also clean and most important piece was that their bubble teas were great. My daughters are picky about them.

Mitch H.

Yelp

This place had a interesting set up with no contact and a window to deliver food and drinks. We ordered a sushiritto and it was delicious. Would come back. The tablet used for ordering could be more user friendly.

Myra A.

Yelp

I wanted to try my first pole bowl. I ordered for pickup through Grubhub. It was ready pretty swiftly. I was hungry and hope it met my expectations. I must say it was very flavorful and I enjoyed. The sauces took the flavor to another level. I wish I had a little more meat. I believe the portion was very generous as well.

Maya P.

Yelp

I had a great experience hear during COVID 19. The place has adapted very well to new standards of cleanliness and safety. The system they have set up inside is very innovative- absolutely no direct contact with any server. I ordered poke and green tea which was good quality! Can't wait to try new things on their menu

Andrea C.

Yelp

I've had trouble finding good poke bowls in the city but this place was a winner! There needs to be better review of this place because they were friendly, fast, food was fresh and portions large for the cost!

Allie B.

Yelp

Do not get a poke bowl here, the tuna was completely inedible and way too pale to be served. Also very stingy with toppings, I ordered avocado and this mans went to the trouble of slicing an avocado into 8ths and then giving me a razor thin slice of that. The ingredients overall taste bad, are of bad quality, and my stomach is paying the price today for it.

Charlotte S.

Yelp

I'm so disappointed in this place. My friend and I ordered the Thai tea milk tea with boba pearls. It tasted like pure tap water. Heavy heavy iron taste. The boba was NOT sweet at all. We took 2 sips and threw both drinks straight in the trash. Don't waste your time or money here. We ended up going to JOYYEE on Halsted.

Elisa S.

Yelp

WORST ramen I have ever had in my life and trust me, I've tried a lot of ramen places. The tofu wasn't even cooked, the broth was like a bland tomato soup?? Even maruchan noodles are better quality than place this lol. The passion fruit and rose smoothie was delicious tho, even tho it was a bit heavy on the sweet. I would recommend this place only for their drinks big WOOF on the ramen tho

Chad H.

Yelp

Visited this bubble tea spot at 7 pm with a group of friends. We have been here before and have been able to use the second floor seating without purchasing drinks or food. However, after sitting down on the second floor, an employee told us that seating is for customers only. We did not purchase drinks because we know the drinks taste almost flavorless each time. Oddly enough, we saw a group of people who had not purchased anything and were not told to leave. If I could give this 0 stars, I would.

Melissa M.

Yelp

I've ordered a few times from here and have enjoyed the tonkatsu ramen enough to reorder it. The milk teas have been hit or miss with a few flavors (mango and thai green tea) having very floral notes that almost tasted like drinking perfume which was pretty offputting. Well, I ordered again yesterday and now have the worst case of food poisoning I can remember in ages. I've been sick all last night and into this morning with awful stomach cramps and GI distress. It was the only thing I ate yesterday so there's nothing else to rule out. Unfortunately, I wont be ordering from here again, which is a shame because I like supporting local shops in my area. I'll just have to do so elsewhere.

Princess Tina D.

Yelp

I am in the hospital. Absolutely HORRIBLE customer service. I had placed an order online. I meant to make it delivery but I accidentally did pickup. I can't pick it up because I'm IN THE HOSPITAL. The owner was unwilling to give me a refund stating that it wasn't his problem and that I need to contact the app I placed the order from. He said he COULDNT give me a refund. I'm, yes you can you're the freaking owner. I've been stuck in a hospital room for the past 2 weeks after having emergency surgery at 4am. I'm not working right now, therefore not making any money, and this owner is basically okay with stealing my money and saying it's not his problem. HORRIBLE

Chelsea R.

Yelp

watermelon smoothie was seriously disgusting. didn't taste like watermelon at all tasted SO fake. waste of $7 I literally took a drink and threw it away

Connie K.

Yelp

A friend told hubby and me about this new bubble tea place that he had been wanting to try so we decided to give it a shot. They have quite an expansive menu and there is a big difference in size between the small and the large drinks. I ordered the jasmine green milk tea with 0% sugar while hubby ordered the Taichi green milk tea. Mine came out very green which was alarming because it looked so unnatural. I took one sip and realized that all I could taste was sugar despite asking for 0% sugar. I asked to have my drink remade which the workers kindly agreed to do but again it tasted sweet. I then realized that their milk teas are not actually customizable for sweetness because there is some sugar in their pre-made mix. However, they wanted to accommodate me and made it by brewing jasmine tea and adding some milk to it. This was better but it tasted really watered down and lacked tea flavor. Hubby's drink was also artificial tasting and our friend didn't like his drink and threw it out after leaving. The boba was too overcooked and had a mushy texture. I was disappointed but I want to give them the benefit of the doubt since they are a newer establishment.

Juan C. V.

Yelp

Ordered the ramen and it was not hot, just lukewarm at best. The pork that it came with was tough and cold.

Daniel L.

Yelp

This place is good on some occasions, don't expect much from it. I.E if you want ramen or a poke bowl don't get it from here since it's not really their expertise. However, the boba for the most part is good (at least for the fruit smoothie bobas) and their sushi burritos come w really good toppings and fillings. It's a decent place.

Sophia M.

Yelp

I usually get bubble tea at Argo because it's on campus but after this I'm getting it from here. The vegetarian ramen is absolutely amazing and my friend loved her spicy tonkotsu ramen as well. Highly recommend!

Nurul Hana M.

Yelp

As a vegan who loves boba but also can't have caffeine, I get their Zang Zang drink with almond milk so I don't have to miss out on the boba buzz

Nabeeha S.

Yelp

Hi, this place is new and I like this place. My friends and I decided to stop by this place and let me tell you that their sushi burritos are so good!!! Although the vegetarian ramen exceeded below expectations, I love their sushi burritos. Peach bubble tea was really sweet but it's not the best. I would say that I would come back here again. I still haven't tried their poke bowl!

LJ H.

Yelp

I've ordered from here several times and I always love what I get. The orders are always ready quickly, and great and friendly service! One of my favorite places for bubble tea.

Rob S.

Yelp

I just had the teas and smoothies so far....very good! I like that the small is actually a small. Great atmosphere!

Karen A.

Yelp

great variety of teas, so far each one is just as good at the last. poke bowls at perfect size and composition. sushi wrap, good for me, my daughter haven't tried the ramen...yet. very covid safe! only takes credit cards.

Xiongqiang L.

Yelp

If you are looking for the best bubble tea in town, this is the place to go. There is a wide variety of different kinds and flavors of bubble tea. They make the drinks fast and there isn't much of a line. Not only is there bubble tea, but there is also other foods like ramen and other dishes. The place is very clean and welcoming. This is the best place in town.

Indira R.

Yelp

The food was amazing!! they are also taking Covid-19 very seriously which is greatly appreciated.

@olivia.l

The top 8 places to get Bubble Tea in Chicago [2023]

View Postcard for Tai Chi Bubble Tea

@olivia.l

The top 8 places to get Bubble Tea in Chicago [2023]

View Postcard for Tai Chi Bubble Tea

Brie Chen

Google

Damian Panek

Google

Pretty good boba. Got the strawberry milktea with tapioca. The tapioca has just a plain taste but still good. The actual drink tasted pretty good.

Jade Lim

Google

Grace A

Google

Dante

Google

annie

Google

Anastasia Kopp

Google

I love this place I come all the time after school. I always get a poke bowl it's super affordable and delicious, plus the boba is really good too. They also have a cozy upstairs seating area.

Katie

Google

Roxy H.

Yelp

Kristie L.

Yelp

Isra A.

Yelp

Ferni M.

Yelp

Service is great and the drinks are also really good. The interior looks so nice. I'm a little bummed out that they aren't open on monday but when they are they serve quality food and drinks

Nolan F.

Yelp

Wendy H.

Yelp

Allison A.

Yelp

Võ V.

Yelp

Very good bang for the buck and environmentally friendly. Fresh ingredients, lots of toppings and wide range of green base. I'll definitely come back for more!

Lana J.

Yelp

Maseena G.

Yelp

Stephon H.

Yelp

Camilla N.

Yelp

Munsanje M.

Yelp

Jack K.

Yelp

Grace L.

Yelp

sandra C.

Yelp

I love this place. Always clean, employees are courteous and food is good. Street parking

Francisco A.

Yelp

Large and spacious upstairs. Good food. Mid to high drinks. Good place to snack then do some work.

Nicolas P.

Yelp

The tapioca Taste good with the drink the se service is good its good ambiance is good

Queenie T.

Yelp

Anida M.

Yelp

Erin E.

Yelp

Probably the worst ramen I've ever had. And that includes instant ramen. It was cold and no flavor. Add inattentive staff and you get a very disappointing experience.

Kay Y.

Yelp

They obviously take their pandemic precautions seriously. Pick up food. Got the Thai iced tea - just ok as far as boba goes.

Wayne H.

Yelp

Albert M.

Yelp

Great service; quick and courteous employees. The place was also clean and most important piece was that their bubble teas were great. My daughters are picky about them.

Mitch H.

Yelp

Myra A.

Yelp

Maya P.

Yelp

Andrea C.

Yelp

Allie B.

Yelp

Charlotte S.

Yelp

Elisa S.

Yelp

Chad H.

Yelp

Melissa M.

Yelp

Princess Tina D.

Yelp

Chelsea R.

Yelp

watermelon smoothie was seriously disgusting. didn't taste like watermelon at all tasted SO fake. waste of $7 I literally took a drink and threw it away

Connie K.

Yelp

Juan C. V.

Yelp

Ordered the ramen and it was not hot, just lukewarm at best. The pork that it came with was tough and cold.

Daniel L.

Yelp

Sophia M.

Yelp

Nurul Hana M.

Yelp

As a vegan who loves boba but also can't have caffeine, I get their Zang Zang drink with almond milk so I don't have to miss out on the boba buzz

Nabeeha S.

Yelp

LJ H.

Yelp

I've ordered from here several times and I always love what I get. The orders are always ready quickly, and great and friendly service! One of my favorite places for bubble tea.

Rob S.

Yelp

I just had the teas and smoothies so far....very good! I like that the small is actually a small. Great atmosphere!

Karen A.

Yelp

Xiongqiang L.

Yelp

Indira R.

Yelp

The food was amazing!! they are also taking Covid-19 very seriously which is greatly appreciated.

Tai Chi Bubble Tea

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