Initial Tea

such a great little boba shop! so many options and their strawberry milk tea was AMAZING! definitely recommend, the man at the counter was very nice too!

Service and timing and taste and price is absolutely the best. Hands down

Ok, like another poster said, Bed Stuy was in desperate need of bubble tea. I am forever grateful for them. Variety is key for all neighborhoods, and we needed a little boba in this area. Owner is super sweet but I do want to say, the bubble consistency could be worked on a bit more. No complaints on the teas themselves, they're great.

Cookie and cream boba is delicious, the pearls are even flavorful. The chicken with the tonkatsu sauce is also delightful, it’s crispy and the sauce has plenty of flavor. Perfect for a light meal with a friend, especially if you are on a budget.

I love Taro drinks and this place hit the spot! The Taro slush was super refreshing, and I also enjoyed the Taiyaki (fish shaped waffle) with red bean. I wasn’t sure if I would like the red bean but it was actually really tasty in the waffle! Will have to try their other drink flavors and savory food.

I stopped by this place after a recommendation from a friend, and ordered the brown sugar pearl latte and the plum rice ball. The latte was the best thing for a hot day, and it wasn't overly sweet like other places. Also, they are environmentally conscious as they use reusable cups. The plum rice ball tastes so fresh and homemade, like how my grandma used to make them. The overall atmosphere is very comfortable and cozy, and the owner is so lovely. Prices are reasonable for the great quality that you're getting. I'm definitely coming back here to try their ice cream waffles and takoyaki.

the egg waffle is fantastic I absolutely love it

Super nice owner; high quality service and hospitality and delicious food as a result of the care

I've tried the milk teas and fruity teas from this place and they're both solid. The rice in the rice ball is well seasoned, which is something most places miss. Everything is great quality, especially for the price! My favorite thing is if you bring back your cup, they give you a topping for free

Small quaint quick great service. Really good highly recommend especially for lunch.

Great bubble tea! Rice balls and other food is delicious! Owner is very nice! Unexpected amazing bubble tea spot! For take out only really. Not the prettiest block so go around the corner and walk to willoughby to eat. We did not get a block before my son had woofed down his rice balls. My son said strawberry slushy with boba and milk tasted like ice cream. Which they also have - they have tasty looking ice cream and waffles which we be going back for.

This location was in desperate need of a quality bubble tea and snack spot. Every time I visit Initial tea, they seemed to have added something new to their menu. Their latest addition is an ultimate cool off drink for this humid weather- Watermelon slush (a must have!) I have also tried their Bubble waffles with Ice cream. Awesome batter! Crispy on the outside and warm & soft in the inside and combined with a spoonful of ice cream- what a perfect bite! Can’t wait to come back and try all these other great things on their menu. I have my eyes on those Takoyaki 🤤

It's only the soft opening of the place but it's a small, cute place and the owner is really nice. The bubble tea was the perfect sweetness for me and the spicy spam riceball was good. The owner told me he really wants to cater to the customers and all menu items can be customized. So check it out!

Heard about this place and decided to check it out. So glad I did because the service, food and overall experience was amazing! Usually the Takoyaki does not taste anything like the ones from Japan, but this one was beautifully made and tasted very authentic and brought me back to my trip to Japan. The bubble tea was so good! I got the jasmine bubble tea and the tea was full of flavor and the boba was cooked perfectly. I would 100% come back, and recommend it if you want a snack and delicious bubble tea.

Just went to this tea shop and it’s out of the world. The lychee fruit tea was very delicious. Not too sweet it was just perfect. Can’t believe they have snacks too. Try their spam rice ball and it was so good. I will definitely go back and try other stuff. Also the staff was so friendly.

We got pancake, Takoyaki, rice ball and egg puff, rose milk green tea. They were all fresh made and so so tasty! The Takoyaki was with tenderly chewy diced octopus. The rice ball is very filling and fresh. The egg puff was my favorite! It’s crispy outside and soft inside. Make sure you get the sesame flavor and pork floss flavor. So so so yum! I wish I can eat it every day if I live more closed by. I got the rose milk green tea with half sugar and I think it was ju. It was made with real rose tea leaves.

Such a cute little boba shop! Me and my sister had the peach tea with jelly & peach slush with popping bubbles. Both were tasty and refreshing. Their bubble waffles are really good too, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I did think the tuna rice ball was a bit bland, but I got another one with spicy mayo and it was better. Support small business!

Food was amazing and the spot is super cute. I ordered the cookies and cream milk tea with milk foam which made the drink extra sweet and smooth, a burger onigiri which the rice and burger had a lot of flavor, the Kani corn soup which had savory seafood flavor balanced out with the corn puree, and the karage chicken which went well with the sauce provided and wasn't too salty or spicy. Overall the balance here created is amazing in all their food options and the owner and workers really nice. If you are in the area, I highly suggest you drop by.

This is a very cute little hole in the wall place. I brought my girls here for some bubble tea, I only liked the strawberry myself, but my girls loved their drinks, and they got some coconut gel snacks that they loved also And I liked. Moderately priced and good kind service. We will be coming back at least once a week.

Good bless this new entry to Brooklyn beverage shops, we needed bubble tea in the area but initial tea is one of the best flavors offerings and toppings I have ever had in NYC They allowed me to mix my passion fruit with matcha and milk and it's delicious ...TRUST ME.

Amazing food. Nice environment. The owner is very friendly and will work fast to get your order finished. Drinks are super tasty too! It must be hard to operate during covid-19 but they do it right.

Joyce Zhao

We got pancake, Takoyaki, rice ball and egg puff, rose milk green tea. They were all fresh made and so so tasty! The Takoyaki was with tenderly chewy diced octopus. The rice ball is very filling and fresh. The egg puff was my favorite! It’s crispy outside and soft inside. Make sure you get the sesame flavor and pork floss flavor. So so so yum! I wish I can eat it every day if I live more closed by. I got the rose milk green tea with half sugar and I think it was ju. It was made with real rose tea leaves.

Alisa Yu

Such a cute little boba shop! Me and my sister had the peach tea with jelly & peach slush with popping bubbles. Both were tasty and refreshing. Their bubble waffles are really good too, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I did think the tuna rice ball was a bit bland, but I got another one with spicy mayo and it was better. Support small business!

Emily Louie

Food was amazing and the spot is super cute. I ordered the cookies and cream milk tea with milk foam which made the drink extra sweet and smooth, a burger onigiri which the rice and burger had a lot of flavor, the Kani corn soup which had savory seafood flavor balanced out with the corn puree, and the karage chicken which went well with the sauce provided and wasn't too salty or spicy. Overall the balance here created is amazing in all their food options and the owner and workers really nice. If you are in the area, I highly suggest you drop by.

Ashley Tucker

This is a very cute little hole in the wall place. I brought my girls here for some bubble tea, I only liked the strawberry myself, but my girls loved their drinks, and they got some coconut gel snacks that they loved also And I liked. Moderately priced and good kind service. We will be coming back at least once a week.

Kevin Brereton

Good bless this new entry to Brooklyn beverage shops, we needed bubble tea in the area but initial tea is one of the best flavors offerings and toppings I have ever had in NYC They allowed me to mix my passion fruit with matcha and milk and it's delicious ...TRUST ME.

Benjamin Lau

Amazing food. Nice environment. The owner is very friendly and will work fast to get your order finished. Drinks are super tasty too! It must be hard to operate during covid-19 but they do it right.

This place is literally a gem in the wall. The bubble waffle was amazing! They were better than the ones in Chinatown. The sesame pork floss bubble waffle was savory and unique, can’t get it anywhere else, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The rice balls were quite different as well since the rice was seasoned. My favorite was my extra spicy shrimp tempura rice ball; it was crunchy, spicy, and overall very satisfying. The drinks were creative and plenty of variety. The coffee slush is a hidden treasure. I am a harsh critic of my food and I was very pleased with the overall quality of the food from this establishment. I must also include that the staff was very friendly, courteous, helpful, and super hard working. God bless this place!

Lovely little place to stop in for a light meal and tea. The staff are friendly, and they have a tablet ordering system available which is convenient. The onigiri rice balls are especially good. I enjoy the scallop and corned beef ones. The seating is comfortable, but a large group of 6 or more might struggle to sit down.

A small but very comfy boba cafe. I really like the robust menu. It has a very good selection of food and drinks. I like the mini mochi you can throw in as a topping.

This place is so good! I've seen them expand their menu over the years, definitely for the better! The salmon rice balls are very good. Bubble tea as well. Customer service is outstanding. And quality of food demands the competitive pricing!! Definitely recommend!

This place is like a dream come true. The service here is outstanding. The owner is so nice. The drink is so yummy. Blended just right. Their waffle ice cream is my favorite. The waffle is crispy outside and soft inside. It's just so perfect. Pairing it with the ice cream is just amazing. Water in my mouth. The rice ball is also very yummy. You must try it to believe it. It's hard to find a place with yummy drink/ food and good service.

We absolutely love Initial Tea on Dekalb — it’s one of those rare neighborhood spots that gets everything right. The tea is clearly fresh-brewed (not powdery or overly sweet), and the boba always has that perfect chewy texture. I especially appreciate that they adjust sweetness per order, so drinks taste balanced and intentional. What really sets this place apart is that it’s not just a boba shop — the food is genuinely good. The onigiri, bubble waffles, and Asian street-style bites make it easy to turn a drink run into a full, satisfying treat. The vibe is small, warm, and personal — you can feel that it was created by people who care about the experience and their community. There’s also a lot of creativity in the toppings and customization options, which keeps the menu fun without sacrificing quality. Most importantly, everything is consistently excellent — which is surprisingly rare in boba places. This has become a go-to spot for us, and it’s always worth the trip.

This is a great boba shop- the owner took extra effort to make sure the french toast was as delicious as possible. Vegan and Vegetarian options available too!

Vegan-friendly boba tea!- most boba shops will give you “non-dairy” creamer (that stuff still has milk in it) even if you opt for plant-based milk, but Initial Tea gives you what you ask for. Love this place!!

Arjuna Matthews

This is a great boba shop- the owner took extra effort to make sure the french toast was as delicious as possible. Vegan and Vegetarian options available too!

B

Super nice owner; high quality service and hospitality and delicious food as a result of the care

Sophie Stewart

Vegan-friendly boba tea!- most boba shops will give you “non-dairy” creamer (that stuff still has milk in it) even if you opt for plant-based milk, but Initial Tea gives you what you ask for. Love this place!!

Alain Mendez

A small but very comfy boba cafe. I really like the robust menu. It has a very good selection of food and drinks. I like the mini mochi you can throw in as a topping.

Tracey Thompson

Cookie and cream boba is delicious, the pearls are even flavorful. The chicken with the tonkatsu sauce is also delightful, it’s crispy and the sauce has plenty of flavor. Perfect for a light meal with a friend, especially if you are on a budget.

cos

Lovely little place to stop in for a light meal and tea. The staff are friendly, and they have a tablet ordering system available which is convenient. The onigiri rice balls are especially good. I enjoy the scallop and corned beef ones. The seating is comfortable, but a large group of 6 or more might struggle to sit down.

Kady Chang

This place is literally a gem in the wall. The bubble waffle was amazing! They were better than the ones in Chinatown. The sesame pork floss bubble waffle was savory and unique, can’t get it anywhere else, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The rice balls were quite different as well since the rice was seasoned. My favorite was my extra spicy shrimp tempura rice ball; it was crunchy, spicy, and overall very satisfying. The drinks were creative and plenty of variety. The coffee slush is a hidden treasure. I am a harsh critic of my food and I was very pleased with the overall quality of the food from this establishment. I must also include that the staff was very friendly, courteous, helpful, and super hard working. God bless this place!

Balal Aslam

This place is so good! I've seen them expand their menu over the years, definitely for the better! The salmon rice balls are very good. Bubble tea as well. Customer service is outstanding. And quality of food demands the competitive pricing!! Definitely recommend!

Jennifer Zhu

This place is like a dream come true. The service here is outstanding. The owner is so nice. The drink is so yummy. Blended just right. Their waffle ice cream is my favorite. The waffle is crispy outside and soft inside. It's just so perfect. Pairing it with the ice cream is just amazing. Water in my mouth. The rice ball is also very yummy. You must try it to believe it. It's hard to find a place with yummy drink/ food and good service.

Small reasonably priced shop with authentic vibe to it. They have a great variety of boba, deserts, & light meals. My only dismay is that the appetizer orders that include meat, are small portions. I ordered an mozzarella corn dog, it was 70% cheese. The sausage was basically a Vienna sausage. I also had shrimp tempura & rice ball with meat. The food is tasty, but they seem to love to deep fry everything. It was my first time trying boba & the variety was overwhelming since I’m so indecisive but I loved it & will return.

1. The mango & lychee calpico w/ fruit jelly AMAZING added $1.00 seltzer omg so freaking goooood.... 2. The pork gyoza (fried dumpling) mouth watering AMAZING...... 3. Rice Ball w/ salmon was good & fresh (had 2 bones inside so be careful) Definitely for a small shop the menu is huge and have a variety..... Very friendly staff

iBain300

Small reasonably priced shop with authentic vibe to it. They have a great variety of boba, deserts, & light meals. My only dismay is that the appetizer orders that include meat, are small portions. I ordered an mozzarella corn dog, it was 70% cheese. The sausage was basically a Vienna sausage. I also had shrimp tempura & rice ball with meat. The food is tasty, but they seem to love to deep fry everything. It was my first time trying boba & the variety was overwhelming since I’m so indecisive but I loved it & will return.

Very small place but the lady that took out out was nice. It was slow but it was just her with a bunch of more people ordering after us so we didn’t mind. The food was good but the cake was very small which I was a bit disappointed I thought it was bigger from the picture. The bubble teas were great! Overall nice small cozy spot

Evelyn

Very small place but the lady that took out out was nice. It was slow but it was just her with a bunch of more people ordering after us so we didn’t mind. The food was good but the cake was very small which I was a bit disappointed I thought it was bigger from the picture. The bubble teas were great! Overall nice small cozy spot

Lovely service, cute place, clean, provides reusable cups (love it) - sometime runs out of the tapioca so ask prior if they have enough. One complaint - The mango smoothy I took more than once or twice seems to be 'breaking down' after a short while. I'll become regular costumer again when fixed.

Cute local spot for bubble tea but unfortunately the bubble tea was disappointing. They use milk powder instead of real milk for the milk teas and that made the milk tea taste super watery and bland. Also they were out of tapioca bubbles but that was probably because we arrived within an hour of closing time. Overall it was ok but I would not buy again since it wasn’t worth the price.

Oreo milkshake is good. Brown sugar latte disappointed me. Tasted like sweet milk. Chewy boba. Coming back to try the food. Cute shop.

ray

Oreo milkshake is good. Brown sugar latte disappointed me. Tasted like sweet milk. Chewy boba. Coming back to try the food. Cute shop.

Decent prices. I can’t speak about the food as I only got the taro milk tea and strawberry matcha latte. Both drinks were very diluted. Barely any matcha, and a sprinkle of strawberry. The taro was very bland. Disappointed after reading the reviews. You’re better off going to another bubble tea place like Kung fu or something.

got a salmon onigiri, the salmon was gray and tasted OLD, and it had bones in it—not little pin bones but a big old chunk of spine which was a pretty unpleasant surprise to bite into. nicely asked about this, was told it was normal with a smile. rarely moved to share reviews and understand that working in service is hard…but maybe stick with drinks if you come to this place lol

I was excited to try this boba place since it has very good reviews. So we went and ordered a green tea with mango jelly and a boba pearl tea with extra caramel. For both of them the tea was incredibly bitter and impossible to drink. The caramel for the boba one didn’t taste much and both of the drinks were warm which wasn’t nice for a hot sunny day. Wouldn’t come back.

Carolina G. Lemus

I was excited to try this boba place since it has very good reviews. So we went and ordered a green tea with mango jelly and a boba pearl tea with extra caramel. For both of them the tea was incredibly bitter and impossible to drink. The caramel for the boba one didn’t taste much and both of the drinks were warm which wasn’t nice for a hot sunny day. Wouldn’t come back.

Probably the worst bubble tea place I’ve ever been i came for a classic one and a tuna rice ball. Both had 0 flavor the tea was watered down and warm. The tuna litterally tasted old the seaweed was Stale. I’m confused how this place has 4.6 stars. I’m super disappointed because this kinda food I eat all the time and I was super hungry. Litterally some of the worst food I’ve ever had in nyc do not go here. They really really need to do something better

Ngl , drinks are very diluted and barely have any taste . They really need to work on their drinks if they want to survive.

Doodle

Ngl , drinks are very diluted and barely have any taste . They really need to work on their drinks if they want to survive.