Tapioca Express

Delicious and satisfying as always. Found out the great $15.99 for Popcorn Chicken Meal + Large cup of Jasmine milk with boba! I think it’s a great deal in Bellevue! (Photo from Tapioca Facebook page - Ate too fast and forgot to take pic…)

Amazing place to get Taiwanese snacks, my favorite spot to get popcorn chicken. The drinks here very good too, very quick and casual. Super friendly service, I would come back.

I will come here every time not for their Boba or Tea but for their popcorn chicken. I haven't had better popcorn chicken in this area before. In fact it's my second favourite place for popcorn chicken. The best one which I ever liked was in Irvine, CA. The ambience is pretty average. Tables are not super clean and feel sticky. Not a super clean environment but gosh those popcorn chicken! Just amazing.

Love love love this place. Their bubble tea and their popcorn chicken are amazing! They have a huge variety of board games and books for customers there. Also a great place to come for late night boba. My best friend and I love this place, such an amazing atmosphere. Not sure why they got such unfair bad reviews.

I’ve been coming here for over 10 years! I love the mango green tea with lychee jelly, taro milk tea, and jasmine milk tea are my go to. Over the years the taste of tea has been consistent, and is superior to most other boba shops I’ve visited. Their crispy tofu is also delicious, I usually get it spicy 🌶️. Their service is also amazing generally - if they’re not busy, they’ll literally come and hand you the food. The prices have been mostly consistent.

I had their taro milk tea with mango jelly, and they really didn't skimp on the jelly! It was in a cute star shape and they actually were quite generous, so 5/5 stars from me. This as on 8/9/25 at the Taiwanese Night Market on Pier 58 by the waterfront in Seattle.

Came here just looking for smoothies or yogurt. We got the Strawberry Yogurt and the Mango Snow Bubble. Very good and tasty, with real fruit pieces. I am sure they have tons of sugar but it was a nice treat. Service was good and quick. They have a nice area to seat. Easy to park as well.

Maybe a new favorite drink, the coconut snow bubble with boba was pretty good. Don’t tell me about the calories though lol ! Plenty of seating areas indoor and a table or two outside. —- I recently tried the coconut snow bubble, it was good, maybe a new favorite. Having said that it adds up to $5.50 +tax which is a bit pricy, there are places in dt Bellevue where you can get pretty much the same thing below $4. One big plus is that this place is open pretty late. ———— I go there for bubble tea! I really like the coconut milk with tapioca flavor. They have lots of tables where you can eat or drink and hangout.

I grew up with Tapioca Express in California and was very happy to find this location still kicking, especially with all the trendy boba shops popping up left and right. If you want to know what it was like to get a Taiwanese snack in the early 2000's, this is the place to be. My first order of business is to try the popcorn chicken. The seasoning is spot on with the requisite fried basil, so you know it's legit. The chicken is also cooked well, although if I'm picky I think they could up the dark meat, as the white meat pieces were not as juicy. Still, I would this chicken up against any Taiwanese restaurant in the eastside. I also got the minced pork noodle, which was just ok. The noodles are actually cooked very well, but the pork is just fine in terms of texture and flavor. I did enjoy the pickles, possibly the best part of this dish. The restaurant interior is an endearing time capsule. There's a wall of comic books and cafe style seating. This is truly a great place to just hang out and kill time. I hope to come back and do just that, while trying more of the extensive menu.

My husband really wanted me to try this place since this was one of his favorites in highschool/college years :) There's a nice parking lot so you don't have to worry much about parking. Noise level can be an issue but it's not too bad. Service was good based on the to go orders I got. Food: Popcorn chicken -- this is apparently a very popular item and I can see why, it was pretty good and definitely satisfy any cravings. Love the texture and flavors Pork chop bento -- this was good, they have a variety of items in the bento such as veggies minced meats, egg, etc. the bowl was definitely hefty but there was definitely a lot of rice Taiwanese meatball -- to be honest, I wasn't a big fan of this as I expected an actual meatball, but it was more like a big dumpling filled with meats. The flavors was also not my favorite. However, my 2 year old wanted to try and he loved it haha. Overall, it was a pretty solid place and fun to try.

They should rename it Tapioca Slow. Three employees behind the counter, only three orders ahead of us, and yet it took a full 30 minutes to get three non-blended drinks and an order of fish cakes. Ironically, the fish cakes came out faster than the drinks. Maybe the staff are new, but there was zero sense of urgency. To be fair, the drinks are solid and the food is tasty--but the sluggish service and muggy atmosphere really drag down the experience. If they could match the quality of their menu with some actual hustle, this place would be a win.

Nice place that we haven't come to in nearly 3 years. Got Wintermelon SB AND mango sb and HK milk tea.

Founded in the San Gabriel Valley in 1999, Tapioca Express has expanded to 29 stores along the West Coast through a franchise model. We stopped into their Redmond location in the Overlake Center strip mall, for a short sit-down of beverages with a lot of boba (tapioca pearls). It's a large space inside, with far apart tables with plenty of seating to encourage a longer stay. You place your order with a friendly staff member, and your name gets called out a few moments later. All of the drinks are within the 4 - 7 dollar range, with an upcharge for added boba. My daughter and I tried two different drinks. The italian soda (mango flavor) was different so decided to try that with boba. it was OK, would have been fine with free refills if ordered at a sit-down restaurant for that price, but just as a drink by itself, there are better choices. The other drink was a Yogurt frost, and it definitely tasted very strongly of yogurt (i.e. fermented milk), approaching Greek yogurt taste. The generous amount of tapioca boba given really did add a lot to the taste and texture, and was super glad we included it. There are other stores in this mall that we have been to, but first time in this particular store. Note that the mall's topography is different, where one end of the mall is probably one to two stories above the other end....the outdoor mall wouldn't be practical in snowy/icy weather.

Amazing place to get Taiwanese snacks, my favorite spot to get popcorn chicken. The drinks here very good too, very quick and casual. Super friendly service, I would come back.

My go to spot for popcorn chicken. I always get the 3 star spice and they always come out delicious. Perfectly fried, chicken always juicy, seasoning is top tier. Service was fast, I got the popcorn chicken in less than 5 mins. They also have a lot of drink options and snacks.

I really wanted to like this place, but did not meet any expectiations at all. Pros: Large dining area, opens late, many bored games to play and manga to read. Cons: Service and drinks aren't that good. We waited 20+ minutes for our food, and there weren't that many customers at the time. When the server finally brought it out, the guy just left it at the pickup table without saying anything. Thai tea (no modifications) was watery and not sweet at all, if anything it was just slightly bitter. I don't think we drank more than pictured. Food was ok, we got the tonkatsu plate and the pork chop noodle soup. Both were thin. Katsu tasted better than pork chop, and pork chop tasted like popcorn chicken if that's your thing.

Always love their food because it's comfort taiwanese food. The popcorn chicken always hits the spot and their soup noodles are delicious. Their prices are fair and the staff is helpful, and attentive, which is really appreciated, especially during a cyclone that hit the Seattle coast and sent many cities into a days-long power outage. The owners were kind and helped everyone find an outlet. The drinks are an amazing treat and they'll offer sugar and topping adjustments to everything! Love coming here to do some work on a quiet day. Thank you tap ex staff for being so kind

Popcorn chicken with basil is our fave! Lots of parking available and tables/booths for seating. They even have comic books and board games. Friendly staff! Order at the counter and seat yourself. Menu is quite extensive with both food and drinks.

I used to be an addict to Tapioca Express way back when it was Edmonds but unfortunately the building caught on fire or something and I thought all hope was lost. I was driving past this area few months back while volunteering with a dog shelter (I live in on the west side btw so to come all the way out here takes me roughly 45 minutes). Back in Edmonds, it was 2 minute drive and I would visit 2-3 times a week no joke haha!! I'm now sitting here on my 2nd visit to the Redmond location and I can't believe I went 3+ years without my Mango Yogurt Frost and popcorn chicken! I probably can't come as often but I'm probably going to be around at least once a month (although this month it's already the 2nd trip). Glad that Tapioca Express still exists nonetheless! I love the yogurt frost!!! No where else compares to how delicious it is.

Ever since the Edmonds location burnt down, my family and I have been coming here after we go to chop it up for men's haircuts. Here's my order: Popcorn chicken, up to 3* Calamari Taro snow bubble with mini boba Combo Yogurtfrost with boba Lychee icy with lychee jelly Milk tea with boba I used to partake in boba weekly, I've slowed down-- but trust me, it takes training

I will come here every time not for their Boba or Tea but for their popcorn chicken. I haven't had better popcorn chicken in this area before. In fact it's my second favourite place for popcorn chicken. The best one which I ever liked was in Irvine, CA. The ambience is pretty average. Tables are not super clean and feels sticky. Not super clean environment but gosh those popcorn chicken! Just amazing.

Disappointing Experience Service was extremely slow. After placing my order, they told me they ran out of boba and casually asked if I wanted something else instead. No apology or effort to make it right. It honestly felt like they're just here to take your money with no regard for customer service. Worst of all, the bubble tea wasn't even good. There are plenty of better spots nearby--skip this one.

The food here is delightful and the closest to Taiwan I've had in Seattle. Now you should know they only have one blender and do damn well with it. But this'll mean if a long line come through, blended drinks will take a bit of time. It tends to be two to three employees and they work hard. The chicken steak here is really good. Popcorn chicken is really good too! It's authentic to me!

I ordered the Matcha Latte with sea salt foam on top. As soon as I opened the lid to smell it and take a sip, I physically recoiled... it smelt like chemicals and melted plastic. But I decided to take a sip anyway because maybe the smell was the plastic cup? I immediately opened my car door to spit it out. After I spit it out I had this weird tingle feeling on my tongue and had to wash my mouth out. I will not be ordering from here again. I hope no one else experiences that!

Maybe a new favorite drink, the coconut snow bubble with boba was pretty good. Don't tell me about the calories though lol ! Plenty of seating areas indoor and a table or two outside.

Tapioca express used to be a regular stop for my family. Came back the other day for the first time in a while and was disappointed to see the portions significantly reduced. The taste is still the same (good) but the pieces of meat in my railroad bento were super thin and left me hungry after the meal. Also, they got the order wrong which happens but caused the wait to be long.

I had just thought this place's drinks were ok, but the food is better! I really like their popcorn chicken. But the inside is spacious and they have board/card games to play, plus they close later, and service is pretty standard.

I haven't tried their hot tea before and I was surprised how delicious it was ! It's a non diary milk tea with hazelnut flavor and it was absolutely above and beyond my expectation! The only problem I had was it was barely lukewarm I would have really enjoyed it if it was a warmer. Overall I love this place for the boba ! They seem to have a lot of food options as well, may be something I would try in the future Overall a decent place for both hot and cold tea ! They serve not just tea but coffee as well

Something special is cooking here and i'm all for it! I can't believe the excellent assistance i received in deciding on my milk. Can't wait to come back and enjoy again. All the best, - Nathan

THE POPCORN CHICKEN IS THE BEST! It was so flavorful and the basil only made it better. It was crispy on the outside and nice in the inside. We got spicy and non-spicy, wish the spicy one was a bit more but still good nonetheless. They also had kimbap at the counter which was $5 and pretty good for what it was! Their menu was pretty big with drinks and food - they been had mexican drinks! I got the hot HK tea late and it was really good. Not a sweets person so I got 25% sugar and it was perfect. They had a lot of seating spaces and a whole collection of manga which was cool!

I can never go wrong with Tap Ex. I was so sad that there wasn't one in Edmonds anymore :( My go to comfort food is the popcorn chicken. I've been eating it since I was a little kid. I enjoy the variety of the drink and dessert menu too :)

A great no frills boba place. Cheap prices with a huge menu. Has booths for hanging out w friends.

The best boba and popcorn chicken ever! When I lived in the area I would go at least 2 times a week and was so sad when I had to move to Az! I still come to visit Washington a few times a year now and when I do I come here as much as possible! Truly the best in my option!

One of the few places you can get boba and authentic Taiwanese food late at night on the Eastside. Their boba and slushies are reasonably priced and taste great. All their snacks are a great deal as well, including the popcorn chicken, fish cakes (reminds me of when I lived in Taiwan), and string beans. I cannot recommend this place enough!

This, is a video of my friend drinking the boba. Tomorrow we are going to try boba again to see if we like it or not, but just as friends! This was a great experience and am looking forward to the future - Gelan P.s. this was great, you can see them making the balls in house!

Great service - I was greeted immediately by staff as soon as I stepped in. The first Tapioca Express I had was in San Diego and so I was happy to find one here in WA State. They seem to have a full menu here, not just fried snacks and drinks so that's pretty cool! The inside of the store feels like a cafe, with booths and some board games and books available. This feels like a great place to hang out with friends. Great price for drinks too! Most beverage places I've been too are now skyrocketing around $6-$8 a cup. Glad they're keeping it affordable, which I know right now has got to be tough.

What a great place and price. The boba is soooo good~~~~. The foods fresh nd doesn't taste frozen at all. I would highly recommend this place.

The food is good. I especially like their sweet potato fries without their toppings. The service is great and fast. The ambiance is a Boba Tea place.

Major health code violations. Two biggest: 1. A cup dropped on the floor and the lady making the drink it picked it right back up and made the drink in it 2. There was a hair in the popcorn chicken I ordered The tea was not bad, but wont be coming here again due to the unsanitary practices.

This is my go-to place for quick takeout lunch and dinner. I especially recommend the lunch boxes. Popcorn chicken is our favorite one. It comes with a drink and we love their strong green tea (light ice; no sugar). If u have time, it is also a great sit down. Very nice setting to spend time to chitchat with family and friends. Service is fast; wait about 10-15 mins max for fresh cooked food.

The food is good, especially the cheese dog and sweet potato fries. The service was great and fast. The ambiance is a Boba Milk Tea.

I honestly come here for the Elote Fries, instead of drinks. However, Tapioca Express has a wide range of snacks and meals available on their menu to order, which includes fish balls, popcorn chicken, pork belly rice, and more! During this COVID-19 pandemic, indoor dining is closed, but you can place an online order across several platforms for pick-up. Pre-pandemic, this place was a lively place to hangout with music, books, and games.

I visited tapioca express for the first time and was met with the most amazing customer service ever. A girl named Mira took my order and she was extremely kind and helpful, describing all the food and flavors to me. She was very smiley and optimstic and really brought up the ambiance of the store and made it feel very welcoming. She was also very attentive and I did not even have to wait for her to take my order. She was also able to make my drink very quickly. I am extremely pleased with my experience here. All the employees are very on top of their work and attentive to all the customers.

It's just alright! I think their smoothie/slush drinks are much better than the Boba. The bubble tea just tastes pretty sweet and artificial. It hurt my stomach a bit after drinking. The slush drink we got was the lychee and it was really refreshing for summer, just a bit expensive... What really did it for me to give 3/5 was the service. No one really seemed to want to answer the questions and the cashier just pointed to the sign when I asked about recommendations. I don't imagine coming back that often unless if I'm in the area.

Terrible service, good food and drinks. Not a fan of their employees, they were not welcoming and gave each other looks while taking our order making side comments.

Ordered a total of five drinks, two were exactly the same order a large Vietnamese coffee with coffee jelly. One of the Viet coffee came with no issue, the other one came with a bunch of coffee grounds (at least about one-eight of the large cup). At first we thought the lady had given us a wrong order cause it looked like crushed Oreos, until we took a sip and also compared it with the other drink. We politely asked why it's like that, she explained it's just "the way they make their drinks". She didn't apologize or even initiate to change the drink despite showing her the other one she made didn't even looked like it. She seemed irritated while making the new cup. I got back to my seat so I could finally enjoy my drink with the group, however the second cup barely tasted any coffee at all. It was totally watered down, so I went back to tell the other girl about the issue but the original server managed making my drink again. I watched her this time as she poked my old drink with a knife, rinse the knife with water, pour my old drink into a new cup and just added couple pumps of syrup and seal the cup. Lol She handed me the drink without saying anything at all and started showing an attitude. Eventually the third cup she made came with a bare minimum (grass jelly!). At this point, I am just lost for words and felt embarrassed to ask her to make my drink correctly. I left and thank her for making my last drink. I would understand if there was a long line around but it was slow. I know I wouldn't enjoy drinking a cup filled with coffee grounds, idk bout anyone else tho. Also, they need to watch what they are saying in "foreign language" and think you won't be able to understand a single word they're saying. Based on this, I wouldn't go back to this establishment with all these experiences.

A superb collection of fine anime that could captivate one for many a years. I found the drink to be quite good and tasty very satisfied with my experience.

The worst place for boba. Charge a ridiculous $6-7 per drink. In order watermelon milk and it was filled up to 90% ice. Incredible. They should be ashamed of themselves

This company is losing its touch, it's time to move on. Came in for a simple Yogurt Frosty, the employee didn't want to make it. Over 10 new customers came in and they all got their drinks. Then when my wife and I asked for my drink they said they don't have enough blenders. No apologies were given, we just asked for a refund and left them with a tip.

The food here is so good! This is one of the few fast casual place you can get Taiwanese food in Seattle. I crave this place whenever I'm in the area

The popcorn chicken here is amazing. I love the atmosphere and positive costumer service especially from the workers who served me Jonah and Jett.

Order a about 40bucks food and waited around 25mins to got my food ready. And called the store to tell then what's going on and the manager just asking me said So...you just want the refund? And I do like my Money back when the shxt happened to you. And Not even a apology lol. Thanks for the refund a least. Why is so hard to say sorry ???

Cozy place for catching up with friends over bubble tea and snacks. They open pretty late. Wide variety of drinks available.

Great boba, love their railroad bento. A peaceful environment to enjoy a quick meal or drink.

Meh. Not the best for Taiwanese eats or bubble tea. We came here for dinner and overall, it was satisfactory. I wanted to try the Railroad Express Bento, since it's a great deal with a minced pork rice bowl and your choice of a meat on the side with an iced green or black tea. But it was A-OK. While I ordered the Railroad Express Bento with a pork cutlet and ordered a taro milk tea, my boyfriend had the beef brisket noodle soup. On a Friday night the place was pretty busy, and saw that most people were getting bubble tea and popcorn chicken. Kind of reminds of Oasis in the International District, but with an extensive menu of Taiwanese street eats. Again, food was not good yet not bad. It was simply, sustenance. Though the Railroad Express Bento is a great concept, I wasn't a huge fan of it. I was mostly disappointed in the pork cutlet. SUPER salty and such a thin cutlet. Not worth choosing as your protein option if you order the Railroad Express Bento. The minced pork bowl was better, but have definitely had better at the many other Taiwanese spots around Bellevue. My taro milk tea was also A-OK. Nothing worth coming back for. Especially when compared to other Taiwanese eateries around Bellevue, I would put Tapioca Express at the bottom of the list. Although they do feature a large food menu, offering something for everyone, with a huge bubble tea list, I just don't think I'd come back for when I've craving some Taiwanese bites.

best deep-fried radish cake; love the fast-food style, rare for Taiwanese food in Seattle; casual atmosphere prompts me to relax; service is always great, i mean be reasonable, don't expect fine dining kind of service, once I called and asked if they still had radish cake, told them i was on my way, the staff put in the order without me asking, so it was almost ready when i got there, it was more like friendly neighborhood kind of service. I love it! I love everything!

This place was close to where I was getting dinner so my bf and I decided to stop in. Nothing especially fancy about this shop. Decent parking lot. My go to drink is always matcha. It's my favorite and it's simple so it's usually pretty good no matter where I go. I ordered that here and my bf got some mango drink with boba. Other than him getting the lowest sweetness and still thinking it was too sweet, he liked his drink. My matcha drink was like room temperature, slightly on the warmer side. They put no ice in it and it the matcha flavoring was sooo strong and powdery like they didn't know the right water ratio when making it. At least the boba tasted good..