San Chen

Two weeks after grand opening, the lines are visibly shorter and the front door can properly close without lines extending into the public pathway. I only had to wait less than five minutes before my turn to order, but the wait to receive your drink is another story. Since this was my second time at Chicha (first time was in different location), I immediately went to the Dong Ding Oolong Tea Latte with added bubble topping given my great experience with it my first time, and added a new tasting for Taro Bubble Milk Tea. All orders were made with 50% sugar and light ice. One thing I'll mention about the drinks here is that since the tea is freshly brewed, the aroma and taste is very strong, so 50% sugar still doesn't taste like much and you will still have a strong tea flavor. If you prefer your drinks more balanced, this is the one place that I'd recommend going for 75% or 100% sugar. Pro tip: if you plan to visit during the next few weeks while the place is still under grand opening hype, maybe consider ordering in store then go shop at neighboring Hmart or elsewhere for half hour and return after to grab your drinks. Pro tip #2: if you order the taro bubble milk tea, they give you two options for black tea or green tea. According to the cashier, black tea aftertaste is stronger and green tea is more refreshing. Take that as you will. I don't think I've ever tried taro milk with tea anywhere else, so this can be your experimental drink if you're aiming to try something new. Pro tip #3: the store tends to cycle through a few different specialty drinks. The custom drink this weekend was osmanthus mango, and from what I hear, it's pretty good. If you jot down the order name for the specialty drinks, you can still order it in future weeks even if it's no longer featured. Overall, the staff here are well trained, professional, and very friendly. The setup also accommodates good seating arrangements that is unbothered from the lines. The drinks are deserving of all the praise and recognition; it's a premium that you can taste.

Service was amazing and the drinks are so good! And Trina at the tea making/teaching station was so sweet and informative! Will definitely be going back!

If you’re a tea lover, this is definitely the place for you. The drinks are a bit pricey, but worth every sip. Most ingredients are imported from Taiwan, ensuring authentic flavor. The teas are smooth, fragrant, and well-balanced — never too sweet. Their taro drinks are especially popular, known for their rich, creamy texture and natural sweetness — highly recommended!

As a milk tea lover, drinking milk tea is part of my daily routine. I’ve known about Chicha San Chen for a long time and first tried it in Austin. I’m so excited they finally opened in Houston! Their tea is incredibly fresh and refreshing. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with the Taro Milk Tea—it’s my new favorite!

The tea here is phenomenal the best answer is excellent fresh, smell of fragrance teas and delicious teas will be back recommend everyone come try. Staffs here’s hard worker. Hope in future there will be dessert and snack! Open up more locations… There are a lot of our elderly and younger 🫶🏻❤️ 🫖 👍🏻

The most unique boba shop I have ever been they have a variety of teas and I like Dong Ding Oolong and Cassia Black Tea . You can try many different teas at the tea station. They also give you a free sample as well when you order. Friendly and nice staffs.

Chicha San Chen’s Li Shan Oolong Tea is absolutely outstanding! 🌿 The tea is fragrant, smooth, and naturally sweet with a refreshing floral note that lingers after every sip. You can taste the authenticity of high-mountain Taiwanese tea in every cup. The staff brewed it perfectly, and the presentation made the whole experience even more enjoyable. Definitely my top choice whenever I visit Chicha San Chen—highly recommend to all tea lovers!

Absolutely best boba place with authentic taiwanese tea that’s brewed to the optimal temperature. I love the tea tasting in the back and the option to buy their loose leaf tea. To the person working Thursday night that helped me tea taste and give me a backstory on oolong tea, thank you and I love you :) you’re the best!!

I visited on July 4th without any wait cause there is very little people here. I tried their Honey Green tea and found it quite tasty but a bit too sweet for me. I ordered the Honey Osmanthus Oolong tea plus boba, light sugar, no ice, and it tastes pretty good.

One of my favorite bubble tea spots in Houston. The tea quality at San Chen is consistently good, and you can really taste the difference compared to regular milk tea chains. The drinks are freshly brewed and not overly sweet. I especially like their oolong and milk tea options — smooth, fragrant, and well-balanced. The store is clean, modern, and service is usually quick even during busy hours. Definitely a great place if you’re looking for high-quality bubble tea in the area. Always happy to come back.

One of my go-to boba spots. The teas are very aromatic and smooth. The quality really stands out with every sip, and the drinks are consistently made, though it can get busy on weekends. Definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys high quality tea or is looking for a reliable boba place.

For a pure Tea Flavor I enjoy going to SanChen, They use Teaspresso machines to pull the tea out and extract delicate flavors that the other 99% of places don't know. I highly recommend for people who love tea flavor. I also enjoyed hearing the presentation of LiShan WuLong tea from Lyn, she did a good job. Keep it up!

Exceptional drinks for tea lovers! You can taste the distinct difference between all of the teas they offer. The taro boba is unique and tastes really good in hot beverages. Expect to pay $6-8 for each drink.

I’ve gotten boba here a few times now and it’s always solid. There’s a fair amount of parking, and it’s in a busy little area next to other shops, which makes it super convenient. The drinks are really good — a little pricey for the size, but you can tell you’re paying for better quality. And the drink carriers are honestly so cute. Overall, a great boba spot.

I got the dong ding oolong milk tea. Its perfectly sweetened and has a hint of roasted flavor. Their drinks are always consistent because everything is measured from the amount of leaves to the temperature the tea is steeped in.

Chicha San Chen is on another level when it comes to bubble tea. You can taste the quality in every sip – the tea is freshly brewed to order, and you can even choose the specific type of tea base you want. It’s not just a drink, it’s an experience for tea lovers! The flavors are deep, fragrant, and well-balanced. The bubbles are perfectly chewy, and their signature drinks like the Bubble Milk Tea with Dong Ding Oolong or Tea with Cream are absolutely worth trying. The shop design is sleek and calming, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable – they really take care in preparing your drink. Whether you’re a boba fan or a tea purist, Chicha San Chen delivers on flavor, quality, and craftsmanship. Highly recommended!

I absolutely love this place. They have so many unique flavors and the quality is consistently high. The atmosphere and decoratuon is also so elegant and welcoming. The staffs are super friendly and always willing to give nice recommendations. I highly recommend Dongding or any tea latte with taro ball.

Finally got around to try this tea place from Houston. First impression is that the store smelled amazing and the staffs were so helpful with their suggestions. Their Cassia with Cream drink is now my favorite. They also have this opportunity to try tea tasting, which was such an interesting and informative experience!

I recently visited this boba establishment and found the experience satisfactory. The tea flavors were good quality - the jasmine and black milk teas both delivered consistent flavor without any off-notes or sweetness issues. The milk teas we ordered had a balanced ratio of ingredients, and the boba pearls were properly cooked with an appropriate texture. Nothing was overly sweet or watery, which can be common issues at other shops. The service was helpful without being intrusive. When asked about recommendations, the staff provided useful information about the various options, which assisted in making a decision. They seemed to know their menu well. Overall, this is a reliable option for boba tea in the area. The combination of decent drinks and competent service makes it worth considering when you're in the mood for milk tea.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Love this place! It's pricey but totally worth it. The tea is made fresh for each drink so you can taste each different flavor. Consistency is very important for the drinks and they pull it off extremely well. They measure everything by weight so the flavor will always be consistent. The manager was very nice and a great leader. They told us that the drinks will take about 25 min but due to good leadership and everyone has their own station to work on that our drinks came out in less than 10 min. A lot of people enjoy boba drink with a lot of sugar but here the sugar is not sweet even if it's full percent. The taste and flavoring is exactly like in Taiwan. I can see this will be a great place for older people that miss the taste of Taiwan. I recommend this place to anyone.

Loved the strong tea flavor in my tea latte. I got it with taro balls and they had a lot of taro in them too. High quality drink hence the price tags. They have a station for you to sample their tea but it took a little bit for them to boil the water and brew the tea.

Trent Trinh

One of my go-to boba spots. The teas are very aromatic and smooth. The quality really stands out with every sip, and the drinks are consistently made, though it can get busy on weekends. Definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys high quality tea or is looking for a reliable boba place.

Andrea Pham

Exceptional drinks for tea lovers! You can taste the distinct difference between all of the teas they offer. The taro boba is unique and tastes really good in hot beverages. Expect to pay $6-8 for each drink.

Jeremy Ly

I got the dong ding oolong milk tea. Its perfectly sweetened and has a hint of roasted flavor. Their drinks are always consistent because everything is measured from the amount of leaves to the temperature the tea is steeped in.

Elise De Leon

I’ve gotten boba here a few times now and it’s always solid. There’s a fair amount of parking, and it’s in a busy little area next to other shops, which makes it super convenient. The drinks are really good — a little pricey for the size, but you can tell you’re paying for better quality. And the drink carriers are honestly so cute. Overall, a great boba spot.

Phạm Lam Trúc

I absolutely love this place. They have so many unique flavors and the quality is consistently high. The atmosphere and decoratuon is also so elegant and welcoming. The staffs are super friendly and always willing to give nice recommendations. I highly recommend Dongding or any tea latte with taro ball.

THU LE

Finally got around to try this tea place from Houston. First impression is that the store smelled amazing and the staffs were so helpful with their suggestions. Their Cassia with Cream drink is now my favorite. They also have this opportunity to try tea tasting, which was such an interesting and informative experience!

ohyesei

Chicha San Chen is on another level when it comes to bubble tea. You can taste the quality in every sip – the tea is freshly brewed to order, and you can even choose the specific type of tea base you want. It’s not just a drink, it’s an experience for tea lovers! The flavors are deep, fragrant, and well-balanced. The bubbles are perfectly chewy, and their signature drinks like the Bubble Milk Tea with Dong Ding Oolong or Tea with Cream are absolutely worth trying. The shop design is sleek and calming, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable – they really take care in preparing your drink. Whether you’re a boba fan or a tea purist, Chicha San Chen delivers on flavor, quality, and craftsmanship. Highly recommended!

Helen Zhu

I had such a wonderful experience at this tea shop! The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming , perfect for relaxing with a cup of tea or catching up with friends. The staff were friendly and offered try their tea sample.Definitely will be back soon

Ngan Truong

Love this place! It's pricey but totally worth it. The tea is made fresh for each drink so you can taste each different flavor. Consistency is very important for the drinks and they pull it off extremely well. They measure everything by weight so the flavor will always be consistent. The manager was very nice and a great leader. They told us that the drinks will take about 25 min but due to good leadership and everyone has their own station to work on that our drinks came out in less than 10 min. A lot of people enjoy boba drink with a lot of sugar but here the sugar is not sweet even if it's full percent. The taste and flavoring is exactly like in Taiwan. I can see this will be a great place for older people that miss the taste of Taiwan. I recommend this place to anyone.

Jing Jing

If you’re a tea lover, this is definitely the place for you. The drinks are a bit pricey, but worth every sip. Most ingredients are imported from Taiwan, ensuring authentic flavor. The teas are smooth, fragrant, and well-balanced — never too sweet. Their taro drinks are especially popular, known for their rich, creamy texture and natural sweetness — highly recommended!

AD Avenue Group

Amazing tea shop with delicious oolong based tea drinks. I appreciated the pineapple honey tea. My wife had the ding dong oolong honey tea. Both tasted delicious will come back for more

Lots of staffs so min wait for order to drinks. Ordered the taro tea latte, tried the green tea base. Tea base was good but an odd/off taste combination — cold latte and hot taro. Hot drinks not available yet.

The service was fast during the soft opening. I got the Dong Ding Tea and I don’t know if this is me being big back american saying this but the perfect sweetness was not sweet enough in my opinion and I never say that about boba. The boba itself was good. The creamy lemon tart was a hit or complete miss for my group depending on the person

I agree with the recent review about mixed feelings about Chicha San Chen. I was surprised to see their prices, when most other establishments in the area are more affordable. The honey tea I ordered was delicious, smooth, and flavorful. Service was excellent yet there was a lot going on, with a large staff behind the counter.

The atmosphere was so nice. They have good drink options and it didn't feel like something i could get just anywhere. We actually went for an event but stuck around for a while, while we drank and caught up. The workers were very polite and how they present the cups were super cute with the carrier on the sleeve. I tried the mango tart, very good. My friend had a fruit gathering (or the name was similar) full of fruits like apples and oranges. Also easy to order from the kiosk or just going to the register. I would love to come back to just hang out with friends or enjoy the ambience.

The pearls are deliciously chewy! It was great to see they make their milk tea from tea leaves and not tea bags lol - that’s the real deal, Taiwanese style. The atmosphere was lovely in the afternoons. We went there after dinner once, and it got quite loud in there with limited seating.

Mixed feelings about this place. I love the atmosphere and interior design here. Also their cup design is pretty unique. Milk tea might not taste very “taiwanese authentic”, but i liked it a lot. Good tea flavor and good boba chewiness. The fruit tea was great too - made with real fruits. However - biggest issue is that it is completely overpriced. $7.5 for a small milk tea or fruit tea in chinatown houston is absolutely outrageous pricing. There are enough milk tea spots which serve similar quality boba for less than $6 (large!). Also their servicing is a bit chaotic. Not clear where line starts and ends. But the team is super friendly!

Wonderful taro milk tea selection. Probably in the Top 2 Boba Tea shops which serves taro milk tea. I ordered the Taro fresh milk, which comes with good amount of taro. no sugar is added with the fresh milk and it was delicious to my taste. It is more expensive than Tea Top but equally yummy.

Waited about an hour in total — ordering was slow, but drinks were made quickly once we ordered. I got the Green Tea + Fresh Milk + Boba (no sugar) . It reminded me of the classic Taiwanese taste! The pearls were super chewy and delicious. If you’re a bubble tea lover, don’t miss this one! More photos from this visit on IG @lori.119!

YeaNia Alicea

The atmosphere was so nice. They have good drink options and it didn't feel like something i could get just anywhere. We actually went for an event but stuck around for a while, while we drank and caught up. The workers were very polite and how they present the cups were super cute with the carrier on the sleeve. I tried the mango tart, very good. My friend had a fruit gathering (or the name was similar) full of fruits like apples and oranges. Also easy to order from the kiosk or just going to the register. I would love to come back to just hang out with friends or enjoy the ambience.

Janice Tsai

The pearls are deliciously chewy! It was great to see they make their milk tea from tea leaves and not tea bags lol - that’s the real deal, Taiwanese style. The atmosphere was lovely in the afternoons. We went there after dinner once, and it got quite loud in there with limited seating.

A-Lin Journey

Wonderful taro milk tea selection. Probably in the Top 2 Boba Tea shops which serves taro milk tea. I ordered the Taro fresh milk, which comes with good amount of taro. no sugar is added with the fresh milk and it was delicious to my taste. It is more expensive than Tea Top but equally yummy.

Anton S.

Mixed feelings about this place. I love the atmosphere and interior design here. Also their cup design is pretty unique. Milk tea might not taste very “taiwanese authentic”, but i liked it a lot. Good tea flavor and good boba chewiness. The fruit tea was great too - made with real fruits. However - biggest issue is that it is completely overpriced. $7.5 for a small milk tea or fruit tea in chinatown houston is absolutely outrageous pricing. There are enough milk tea spots which serve similar quality boba for less than $6 (large!). Also their servicing is a bit chaotic. Not clear where line starts and ends. But the team is super friendly!

Lori.119

Waited about an hour in total — ordering was slow, but drinks were made quickly once we ordered. I got the Green Tea + Fresh Milk + Boba (no sugar) . It reminded me of the classic Taiwanese taste! The pearls were super chewy and delicious. If you’re a bubble tea lover, don’t miss this one! More photos from this visit on IG @lori.119!

I quality of boba pearls is unlike anywhere else. Very chewy and soft you can feel the warmth of the boba from it being freshly made. The flavor of the tea was very good and you can really taste brewed tea unlike many other chain stores. The price is a little high for the size of the drink but I would say that the quality can make up for it. The cute string carriers they provide make the boba easy to carry while you explore the other shops nearby. Overall if you're in Houston and thirsty I would recommend CHICHA San Chen. Would go here again.

Shriyadita Nath

I quality of boba pearls is unlike anywhere else. Very chewy and soft you can feel the warmth of the boba from it being freshly made. The flavor of the tea was very good and you can really taste brewed tea unlike many other chain stores. The price is a little high for the size of the drink but I would say that the quality can make up for it. The cute string carriers they provide make the boba easy to carry while you explore the other shops nearby. Overall if you're in Houston and thirsty I would recommend CHICHA San Chen. Would go here again.

we went on a saturday so it was super busy, and the wait time was a wee bit long. however we got to do the tea tasting which was really fun and yummy! very informative i loved it. i got the bubble milk tea and my friend got the black milk tea and those were okay. it tasted a little dry with some hints of banana??? but the boba balls were really good. they were soft and warm. the fruit milk tea was so delicious and fresh, i think that was my favorite. overall my experience was very nice ^__^

The tea tastes good, but: 1.The pricing is outrageous; a small cup of boba tea costs around $7. It feels like they are passing their rent costs onto us instead of the value of the product. 2. There is a lack of transparency regarding the type of cream they use. When I inquired, they didn't provide a clear answer. I wanted to know if there is a high level of trans fat in the cream because it tastes so rich. -->high cholesterol. While I might visit this tea shop, I won't be a frequent customer and they won't get a volume of business from me. I want to pay for value not their rent cost.

I first tried this boba/tea chain in Atl and was really impressed of their strong and quality tea flavor. However, both of my visits at this Houston location were bizarre. I ordered the same classic tea and milk tea but none of them were up to par. The flavor was not there. I’m not going to pay $8 for a small cup where I get better tea somewhere else for less the value.

The boba pearls were incredibly fresh and chewy, hands down the best I’ve ever had! However, the flavor was very very VERY subtle, almost like drinking watered-down tea. I wasn’t a fan. Two star for the quick service and the boba.

Having previously visited ChiCha San Chen’s Austin location and we were excited to see their Houston location opening and decided to stop by during their soft opening. Unfortunately, the visit did not meet expectations. On a positive note, there was not a long line when we arrived, and the cashier kindly offered a sample of their bubble milk tea (without the boba), which tasted pleasant and heightened our anticipation as we ordered their Bubble Milk Tea. However, once we received our drinks, the excitement quickly faded. The drinks were surprisingly watery and lacked the distinct, robust tea flavor that Chicha San Chen is known for. Given the strong reputation and positive reviews, this visit left us very disappointed. We hope this was just a soft-opening hiccup and that things will improve once they fully settle in.

Roshitha R

The boba pearls were incredibly fresh and chewy, hands down the best I’ve ever had! However, the flavor was very very VERY subtle, almost like drinking watered-down tea. I wasn’t a fan. Two star for the quick service and the boba.

Xinqi Chen

Having previously visited ChiCha San Chen’s Austin location and we were excited to see their Houston location opening and decided to stop by during their soft opening. Unfortunately, the visit did not meet expectations. On a positive note, there was not a long line when we arrived, and the cashier kindly offered a sample of their bubble milk tea (without the boba), which tasted pleasant and heightened our anticipation as we ordered their Bubble Milk Tea. However, once we received our drinks, the excitement quickly faded. The drinks were surprisingly watery and lacked the distinct, robust tea flavor that Chicha San Chen is known for. Given the strong reputation and positive reviews, this visit left us very disappointed. We hope this was just a soft-opening hiccup and that things will improve once they fully settle in.

I went in to order and noticed that “milk” and “cream” were listed as two separate options, so I asked the cashier what the difference was. She told me that the cream drinks didn’t contain milk—and then said that the bubble milk tea also didn’t have milk. That honestly made no sense to me. If there’s no milk, why is it called milk tea? They explained that it’s all cream, which made it sound extremely unhealthy. One of my friends is allergic to milk, so she ordered the bubble milk tea anyway. I ordered a black tea with milk. The black tea with milk was incredibly watery—easily the worst milk tea I’ve ever had. The bubble milk tea was just okay, nothing special. Overall, this place really lacks tea fragrant, strong tea flavor you’d expect from a good tea shop. Since I had heard good things about this place, I decided to give a second try. I tried the Dong Ding with cream and osmanthus with cream. I love oolong tea, it is by far my favorite type of tea but when I tried the dong ding here I was severely disappointed. The drink tasted like dirt. I’m also a big fan of osmanthus, so I was especially disappointed that it tasted sour and acidic. Nothing we tried tasted good, and on top of that, everything seems extremely unhealthy. Overall, very disappointing experience.

I really wanted to like this place, but the boba consistently ruins the experience. The bubbles are never consistent—sometimes they’re hard, other times they’re way too soft. I’ve tried this place multiple times in hopes the boba would improve, but it never does. The tea itself is great, but bad boba is a dealbreaker. There are too many bubble tea shops in the area to settle for inconsistent pearls.

This is not my first time drinking this tea, but it sure is the first time I see so many “black dots” in it! My husband didn’t see it in the store when he purchased due to their packaging blocking the bottom of the tea cup. But I’m 100% sure the person who made the tea saw it! Chicha is supposed to be proud of their high quality product… is this high quality? I don’t believe so. Make sure to check your tea next time before you leave the store, so you don’t have to be like me spitting back out tea leaves right now drinking this expensive overpriced tea.

Just left 20 min ago for 2 drinks- bubble milk tea with less sugar and regular ice. Friend got their dong ding oolong tea. She said hers was ok. Very tea-y. Mine was so bad I had 7 sips and had to throw it away. I’m Taiwanese and LOVE milk tea. To compare, my favorite milk tea is Sharetea. Then Gongcha. Feng tea is a good option for their non-milk teas. Anyways, the bubble milk tea tastes like the Chinese milk candy. For those who love milk and the Chinese milk candy, this bubble milk tea is for you. For those who aren’t trying to taste milk over tea, skip this drink. The boba was extremely sweet which is not an issue but the overbearing milk taste does not suit the Taiwanese style. Their lack of organization is really bewildering. Not sure what other franchises do but it’s extremely disorganized and chaotic in there. No clear lines for ordering. There is a kiosk on the right and then the main line is just whatever blob of people. They did have some mango osmanth tea for sample but I did not try it. Seem to brew their teas in place as you order so that’s nice to see. Not sure i’d come back for their milk tea anytime soon.

My husband and I were excited about this place just to found out they are the worst boba we I ever had. I don’t understand what the hype about. The tea is so bland, I can’t taste nothing. It was so bad I can’t finish mine. My husband got the fruit tea which is more flavorful but it still doesn’t match the price. One star is for the aesthetic.

Bee List

I really wanted to like this place, but the boba consistently ruins the experience. The bubbles are never consistent—sometimes they’re hard, other times they’re way too soft. I’ve tried this place multiple times in hopes the boba would improve, but it never does. The tea itself is great, but bad boba is a dealbreaker. There are too many bubble tea shops in the area to settle for inconsistent pearls.