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Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Allston/BrightonHarvard Avenue (Green)
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"Between Hours"? Really? I was under the impression that this place was named "PC Cafe"... oh well.
Anyhow, the last time I was here, they offered two sizes of bingsoo... no longer. Now they just have the large. You can choose between Coffee, Green Tea, Red Bean, and Fruit. I chose red bean, which also came with a decent serving of various fresh fruit and a cute creamy ice cream heart for $7.35 after tax.
Tidbits -
I didn't check it out myself, but I hear that the bathroom's locked.
I spotted a little table full of games and puzzles available for patrons to borrow. Nice!
People thought this was:
I don't even like this place. I go cause all the koreans go there for dessert.
I also see some people going there to study but the tables are way too small and you gotta pay for your wireless. It's pretty much the worst place to study.
You can choose from a nice selection of bobas, bingsoos, teas and smoothies. I will recommend without hesitation red bean smoothie to you. I'm not gonna lie. it's pretty good.
It's also nice for the gaming Koreans that are out there since it may be boston's only PC gaming cafe that I know of. I see on their screens tons of Starcraft, Warcraft....and porn?? Why are you watching porn in a public setting?? Why?? wait....WHY???
I take my youth group kids here. Next time I see one of you, I will layeth the smack down on you.
Makes me angry. Ugh.
People thought this was:
I like their Green Tea smoothie and the Red bean smoothie!
I don't like their fruity smoothie because I can telly they used lots of
syrup and artificial fruits...I tried a strawberry smoothie and wasn't good for me.. somehow :(
but I recommend to try Green Tea smoothie! :)
I don't really get the concept here... a cafe plus computers?
But their green tea smoothie is to die for. LOVE IT. You can also get with tapioca if you want. Mmmm, so smooth and thick, not too sweet, and you still have that green tea taste. It's the best.
Their fruit bingsoo is decent too, but I'd consider it a bit overpriced (just like most things in Boston). It's basically shaved ice, topped with ice cream and a whole variety of fruits.
They also have a minimum for credit cards ($5 or $10?), so be sure to have some cash on you.
This is the best bubble tea in town. The seating is small and at night it can get crowded.
If you're lucky enough to get a seat. The place is really comfortable. They have some nice board games. They even have Jenga, what a throwback!
My dancegroup often goes here after practice to hang out and play Jenga and drink Boba. Its a great place for a chill Friday night when you don't feel like going out to the club or the bar or the house party across the street.
Wasn't sure what this place was called.. since the overhang says both PC Cafe AND Between Hours.. anyway..
Last time I was in, I tried the the green tea bingsoo. Pretty steep at the price tag of $7+.. sad I really wasn't a fan. It sounded sort of like a Filipino concoction that I grew up with so that's why I tried it. Their bingsoo is (over shaved ice) a teeny scoop of green tea, some powdery stuff, green jello, some red beans, and bananas. It just didn't really flow together and it was not like the fruity sundae in the pictures. Next time I'm in, I'll just stick to the ice cream. 3 large scoops of green tea ice cream for $3ish. Hell to the yeahhhh. It's gonna be dangerous during the summer.. especially since this place is open late.
Probably not the best for groups because there's only 2 booths for 3+ people and usually all the two seaters are taken up. If you do need to use a computer, the stations have never been full. At least when I'm in. WiFi is a $1 per session and you can even print. Service is also pretty great. So yay for that too.
Note: $5 minimum with credit cards.
People thought this was:
This is the only place that I've currently found in Boston which has computers available for gaming. But, I will never go there again, atleast to use the PCs.
The place peaked my interest the first time I walked in there. The city has a very strong affirmation towards laptop users and wireless networks, but lacks many cafe's with desktops. This is totally understandable in a city of college students and up-to-date professionals, but you would think the city would be more in tuned to the gaming crowd. Anyway, when I first ventured in I bought an hour on the comps, and saw that they had Counter-Strike and Starcraft, among other games. No World of Warcraft here though.
This isn't you're standard gaming cafe. I don't think the word gaming cafe would be a good term to stick to this place. It seems the PC's were put in place as an afterthought, and theirs no real socializing going on back there. Most of the people seem to be Koreans playing Starcraft. Fair enough, but what has disturbed me the most and the reason why I won't go back is the everpresent porno browsers. I didn't notice them at first, but after the 2nd and 3rd time, when I would glance over to the guy who just sat next to me, I would see it all right. Pay for porno sites, or whatever else tickled their fancy. It's annoying to have a person next to you, in public, doing that. You start to imagine who used the computer your on before you, and then you wipe the mouse with the paper napkin you got with your tea.
Anyway, I can vouch that the tea and boba is very good. I havn't tried the food, and as a wireless internet cafe, it seems to have done things right. Just don't come here looking for a gaming fix, or to find a LAN match going on or something. The majority of the PC users are there for more... scrupulious reasons, shall we say.
On a side note, I've heard, but never tried, the internet cafe on Newbury street that does in fact have WoW.
People thought this was:
Screw Lollicup's terrible service and inconsistent boba.
The best milk tea is hands down at Bewteen Hours pc bang. Plus, if you're looking to indulge in your obese side order up a fondue and a paht bing soo. Yummmm.
People thought this was:
We came here to relax and use the computer after a long day of traveling around Boston. It is actually a pretty decent place to just hang out to talk or use the PC. The price is really not that bad for using the PC. It is $2 for the first half an hour and $4 for a whole hour. We had the Mango Slush with boba and which was good. The people who ran the place is really nice too.
My recent boba kick has been taking me and my sister on a tour of Allston and surrounding areas.
Last night we went in here, and may I say this is one of the cutest places I've been in a while. The menu looked pretty varied for a cafe and I will be returning to try that fruit and ice cream creation, which looked awesome.
as for the actual boba tea, it was good, I got my sister's flavor (honeydew) because that didn't have thai iced tea (hence the missing star). But, the cup was big and the tea was yummy, if not a little too sweet. I cant decide.
People thought this was:
Not a fan of their decor... but a nice place to drop by for a cold bubble tea on a summer day! I like mocha, honeydew, or red bean.
I had cake here once... too rich but maybe some of you like that.
I walked in and was pleasently surprised to hear Jay-Z singing to me. A young woman walked up smiling and asked me what I wanted. I told her Honeydew Milk Tea with Boba. 3.05 later, I was the proud owner of a bright green 16oz cup of deelish.
The place is much cleaner than I ever would have expected - that whole block looks like crap, but in here, things are nicely organized, with pretty signs, and nice xmas decorations. I did not get anything to eat, though I did notice that they still had bagels (at like 6pm?) and some of the teeniest croissants I have ever seen displayed in the pastry case.
I will for sure be back here.
People thought this was:
They have really tasty tea here. The only time I ever ordered real food, I got some sort of sandwich that apparently wasn't memorable enough, but I don't recall hating it, so whatever.
Mainly I want to reiterate that their tea is delicious. It is also very pleasant to sit in the window and watch all the people walk by when you have nothing better to do.
People thought this was:
I've never used the computers at this place, we always go here for the pat bing soo. It's got shaved ice, condensed milk, red beans, fruit , ice cream, and tapioca pearls. They put a lot of fresh fruit in it, usually pinapples, peaches, strawberries, cantalope and bannanas. It's big enough for two, and it's a pretty healthy dessert.
My girlfriend says it's good date food if you're sharing, because you have to negotiate the more desirable fruits.
People thought this was:
It's a good late night cafe to use wireless - that's the good news. You have to pay $1 an hour to use the net - I'm sure they're making millions on that - not sure the point but if you buy something you get a free 20 min or so.
The atmosphere can range from odd to creepy depending on your fellow cafe mates. It ranges from clusters of Asian hipsters to solo laptop workers to who knows who's tucked in the back on the desktops. I wondered who would need to rent computer time in this day/age other than traveling folk in Europe and the answer... you don't want to know. I learned my lesson - don't casually gaze at the computer screens that are right in front of you while you're waiting in line for the bathroom - unless you enjoy odd porn.
People thought this was:
The green tea ice cream alone gains this place 4 stars!
As we walked around in search of a dessert establishment between our dinner at YoMa Burmese and appropriate drinking hours, Between Hours looked casual and fab.
My mates ordered two cappuccinos and I got an espresso shot that wasn't great, but was certainly fine. The best part of our experience was our little ice cream bowls (not so little, I guess!) with one scoop each of mango, green tea, and red bean.
I've never enjoyed green tea ice cream before this place, so I was thrilled to find myself a new flavor to enjoy!
The atmosphere is a bit odd, as it IS an internet cafe, but it is just fine for stopping in to grab some delicious ice cream.
People thought this was:
I pretty much only go here if I need a boba smoothie in Allston. I've tried my fair share of green tea smoothies in Boston, and this one certainly tops the list.
I've always been curious about getting the fondue, but have yet to try it.
*Disclaimer: This review is based solely around the bubble tea experience I had from PC Cafe.*
I was meeting up with a friend in Allston for a coffee date, which turned into walking all the way down Comm Ave to BU and turning back to Allston before BU could taint our moods. I was parched after walking all the way up Harvard Ave. from Brookline to Allston (stupid 66 bus), so I needed a cold, refreshing beverage that was a step up from grabbing a Coke from Store 24. PC Cafe it was.
The interior is kinda modern and funky-looking: hardwood floors, minimalist furniture, basic colors. Lots of posters advertising "Asian" drinks, like the bubble tea. I picked passionfruit iced tea w/ boba and perused the dessert display case. Some of the cakes looked really yummy, but I'll have to wait until a future trip to try one. For a Saturday afternoon, the place was mildly deserted--probably due to the gorgeous, unseasonably warm October weather.
PC Cafe is A-OK in my book. I can't vouch for their 'net prices, but it's a cute little cafe that's perfect for popping in to satisfy a beverage craving.
People thought this was:
Open until 1a.m. every day. $4 or less per hour. Comfortable chairs, though some are broken-ish. Always free computers (no wait).
Good, fast computers and connections. Most of the peripherals you would need (great headphones, good webcams [ask for the Phillips wire-cam from behind the counter]). Nice vibe, staff is nice enough, most of the time. Good space, though a bit negelected in spots (loose tiles on main floor for months; bathroom usually not so clean, etc.) A software bug that has the "time left on your card" doo-dad popping up every 45 seconds these last few weeks is driving me semi-batty. Good bubble tea, but I know drinks I like better for 4$+1$tip. Funny-in-that-its-usually-very-eight-years-ago MTV pop on the cafe speakers, usually.
Overall, I tell people this place is "everything I need in a cybercafe." If the staff were friendlier overall, the space were better maintained and more comfortable for chilling outside the computer zone, and their food and drinks were more than a seeming half-effort half-afterthought--like if they were good enough alone to pay the bills in a coffeeshop setting, say, this place would get five stars from me. As it is, though, I am entirely grateful it exists, and a few improvements will bring that last star home.
People thought this was:
Between Hours has hands down the best bubble tea options I've ever tried. Lots of places will throw black pearls into any random liquid (including Tealuxe, blech!), but BT actually swathes their boba in drinks I'd equally appreciate in any other setting. They offer the typical boba in some cold sweet tea, plus boba in a lactose-free fruit slush and boba in a delicious milk-based fruit smoothie, and you can get all of the above boba free. I'm crushing hard on the red bean smoothie and green tea cake. I've seen waiters lug back gallons of whole milk and fresh fruit from the local Stop & Shop numerous times, so I'm fairly comfortable with their ingredients.
The general cafe part of BT is an awesome place to study and has about the same vibe as those open, more airy Starbucks. The internet part of BT is sketch. I don't even want to know who those greasy old men are webcamming with all day long! But, the two parts are distinct and separate enough that it's not too much of an issue.
This place was my saving grace the first few months I was in Boston. Functionally, as an internet cafe, it's relatively cheap. I've needed to print/fax/email/send so many documents on short notice and they always come through. It's a terrific place to study as well. The prices are spot-on for cramming food and drink, and the bubble tea they make is probably the best i've had. Also, if you're ever looking for a creative place to take a date for after dinner funsies, they have ghirardelli fondue and this dessert with shaved ice and ice cream and tons of goodies that's sure to cinch the deal. Ignore the stares from teenybopper asians with spiky hair, put your headphones on to drown out the korean pop music and treat yourself to desserts you have to point at to order. And they're open til 1AM!
People thought this was:
i've been on a boba (or sorry, bubble tea?) hunt the last couple of weeks and after spending the last couple of days boba spot hopping, i find myself in here.
i think it's quite cute inside, it's got quite a bit of seating space and looks pretty nice.
i order my usual honeydew slushie with extra boba, and i (gasp!) only had credit cards with me (i'm far too clumsy to carry cash), but my bill was less than the minimum charge, so the awesome girl at the counter decided to let is slide just this once. yayyy. but i'll be good next time and bring cash, i promise.
ok, so the slushi itself tasted a little too sweet and kind of powdery, and there were a few chunks of ice, but i'm willing to write it off as an off day for them.
so, why four stars? because the boba (aka bubbles) were SO GOOD! the best i've had in boston so far. i wish they were a little bigger, but that aside, i really did like it. i'm definitely coming back once my boba cravings hit me again. (which will be very soon, i'm sure).
I think this place is fantastic! It is an internet cafe/ snack restaurant. The computers are cheap to use, and though often busy, I have never had a hard time grabbing a computer. They are also WiFi connected, so bring your laptop and relax in the front restaurant area. Its a very relaxing fun atmosphere, and the snacks are delicious! Most things are written in Korean, but the servers speak and have no problem communicating in English. My friends just point at pictures and ask for whatever specific alterations they want. Their ice cream sundaes are sooooo delicious and their baked goods are fresh and sweet. Their prices and phenomenal, and their drinks (i.e. bubble tea, hot chocolate, etc....) are fantastic! I definitely recommend coming here just to kick back with your laptop for a few hours while getting some cheap eats and people watching in.
I don't know about the wireless, but my friend turned me on to their bubble tea and it is the best bubble tea EVER. Once you have it here every other bubble tea location will be a disappointment. I am serious....try it.
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: Computers
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Category: Coffee & Tea
Boston, MA
Category: American (Traditional)
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Category: Coffee & Tea
