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Bubble Maineia - CLOSED
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Food Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Coffee & Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
136 Commercial StPortland, ME 04101
(207) 871-9999
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
21 reviews for Bubble Maineia
Review Highlights
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"For a sweet treat the red bean steamed buns are great." In 4 reviews -
"...mouth a favor and order the vegetable (or red bean) buns." In 2 reviews -
"...milk tea with the boba (tapioca) but I have had the bubble..." In 4 reviews
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Matt S.
Arlington, MA
Updated - 11/30/2011
It wasn't closed when I was in Portland a few months ago, and the Yelp header said it was then. Maybe it means the short-lived second location, which I think was on Free Street? God, I hope it does, and that Yelp's just mistaken and not lying to me, because I love this place, and that would be cruel.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/21/2010
This is a very nice Taiwanese place. The bubble tea is excellent and they even have some nice… Read more »
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Review from Aris L.
Los Angeles, CA
6/26/2011
i order the minced pork with rice which is average..the milk tea was very plain..they need to improve their taste for the bubble tea...
CONCLUSION = RECOMMENDED! -
Review from serena l.
Medford, MA
11/27/2010
We went to the bubble maineia on temple street as we wanted a quick cheap lunch. The beef stew noodle soup was alright, not really what I expected but not bad. My husband ordered the curry tofu noodle soup and he said it was really good. The sweet and sour cucumber side was good and the spicy chicken side was good, just a bit too spicy for me since I got a few of the seeds.
The black milk tea was perfect! My hubby ordered a smoothie with green apple and strawberry which tasted like a creamy apple/strawberry candy! So good!
I'd come back but would try other dishes just to see how everything is! -
Review from Michael L.
Allston, MA
9/25/2007
After my last boba excursion, I have been craving that silliest of beverage/food items quite often. However, I was in Portlandthis weekend, and I thought "No dice on the creepy chewy drink." I was wrong - there is dice.
I called my roommate (a former Portland resident) and asked her if she knew of any places that served it, and she said there was a place just past DiMillo's on Commercial Street, which is pretty specific, actually, if you know Portland (it's not big).
This kitchen-sized joint had a very large variety. A whopping list of milk and black teas were for sale hot or cold, with several varieties of boba. They also had tiny little jellies, gummi bears, and other crap you could have thrown in there for good measure, which I did not do.
I tapped into my inner femininity (bear-hugged it, really) and got a Honeydew Milk Iced Tea. It was very very tasty, with a subtle flavor of melon that was pleasant but not overpowering. It was a little too sweet though, so I would recommend asking them to back it off a little, which they are willing to do.
She got a Rasperry Black Tea, which ended up being a better choice. The bitterness of the tea combined with the sweetness of the raspberry flavor was really well done, and it blended perfectly. I would recommend going for one of the black teas when trying it for the first time, because it tastes more "normal," and better. The drinks were $3.04 each, I don't know why that makes sense, but at least it's reasonable.
They also had Boggle (and a couple other games) which we played, and I won.
The tea covers had cute little anime characters whose throats we had the pleasure of stabbing our straws through. NICE!! -
Review from Roby H.
Brunswick, ME
6/22/2010
I'm telling ya, I had to go and search this place out on yelp because I honestly am surprised by this place.
Let me preference that I am a big fan of Bubble Tea; Boba Tea; zhen zhu ni chá, what ever you want to call it. I have tasted this stuff from China to the USA and here it is, this place serves the best I have ever had.
I KNOW! CRAZY RIGHT!!! Portland Maine! Who would have thunk!
Now mind you the whole concoction was invented in Taiwan and I have not tried it there but I've had it all over Southern California, Arizona, New York City, Beijing, Shanghai, this list goes on, but this is the spot. They actually import all the Taiwanese ingredients from, you guessed it, Taiwan.
I'm a big fan of strawberry milk tea with the boba (tapioca) but I have had the bubble green tea, the almond milk tea, and a few others ... all AMAZING.
So, if you are a fan of bubble tea, and you find yourself anywhere near this place, do yourself a favor and go, cause if you don't, the next time you are looking in the mirror, you need to think: "I am an idiot who lets the best things in life pass me by."
WORD! -
Review from Drew W.
Atlanta, GA
6/16/2007
I was shocked to see a boba joint in the middle of Maine. I wasn't even thirsty but I had to stop and grab one for the novelty more than for the refreshment.
They have coffee jelly. If you've never tried it, I heartily recommend it. An almond milk tea with coffee jelly can make a grown man weep.
Also, give the steamed pork buns a try. At a buck and a quarter, you can't beat the price. -
Review from Justin H.
Orlando, FL
4/13/2008 1 photo
I love the fact that you can get the tea hot warm, and cold - I like to get it warm in the winter, because I'm kind of a wuss and most hot drinks you get (anywhere - from coffee to tea) start out too hot. The drink is gone before it get's cold anyway.
The chinese steamed buns are also quite good, and at that price you can't beat them for a snack.
Don't be afraid to try the black tea or the taro tea - especially if you are not as much a fan of the sacharine sweet flavors. The smoothies with bobas are also quite good.
Bubble tea goes really well with one of my favorite snacks, Pocky, which they also sell there. -
Review from Joseph K.
Portland, ME
7/19/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This place is great. My wife and daughters love the bubble tea (I personally don't like the tapioca pearls so I just have black tea) and the curry tofu (with rice or noodles, doesn't matter) is amazing. Also, do your mouth a favor and order the vegetable (or red bean) buns.
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Review from Larry B.
Amherst, NH
2/5/2008 1 photo
Hey, Bubble Tea in Maine. That alone merits three stars, and the cozy and friendly environment gets another.
Every place is going to have their own take on boba, this is no different. I hold the Green Tea Cafe in NYC's Chinatown as the Gold Standard, so anything else isn't going to stack up.
Nonetheless, it was good, and more importantly - it was available. -
Review from Louise M.
New Brunswick, NJ
6/11/2010
Ah, before I discovered the Standard Baking Co just down the street, Bubble Maineia was the light at the end of the tunnel that is the 7 hour trip from NJ to ME my parents were always fond of going on (if only to buy $500 worth of fresh lobsters to take back to NJ).
This place is cute. The drinks are affordable and you can make special requests to your drink without having the folks behind the counter freak out on you. They also have a good selection of Japanese candy and snacks. This is definitely a great place to retreat to when the sights and sounds of the Port get to be a little redundant. -
Review from Autumn R.
Long Beach, CA
8/31/2010
I will never have anything bad to say about Bubble Maineia. I have been going here for about 3 years and their bubble tea is always AMAZING. The tapioca pearls always have a good consistency, which you wouldn't think would be a hard thing to achieve, but for some places it is. The owners are very sweet. Actually from my frequent trips I would make to Portland (more specifically to Bubble Maineia) they started to remember me. I have never tried their ice cream they serve, but their veggie steam buns are delicious.
Also to add the location is great. I mean if its tourist season it can suck to find parking, but other than that the location is good. When you do find a place to park you can walk to so many other things as well.
So if you want delicious (bubble) tea and great service then go to Bubble Maineia. -
Review from David L.
4/6/2009
This place is absolutely charming, and to be honest I was extremely relieved to see a bit of authentic yet accessible exotic flavor in the area... The owners children were sitting around eating sticky buns and drinking bubble teas, everybody laughed when I made a joke, and to top it off there are lots of affordable delectable treats on offer -- I recommend the taro milkshake and the taro sticky bun, mmm...
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Review from Kim K.
9/5/2008 2 photos
Bubble Maineia is not only cutely named but is also pretty awesome. Combination ice cream/tea shop, their menu is vast! I got a black tea, flavored with lemon, with tapioca balls. Prices were low and the service was fast. The coolest thing was watching the tea and ice being tossed by a super fast mixing machine. And watching the plastic cup sealer is always cool. My bubble tea wasn't sealed to the server's liking though so she tore the faulty seal off and sealed it again. Nice!
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Review from Sarah C.
2/17/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I love bubble tea. I love bubble tea in Maine. Thus, I love Bubble Maineia. Fast, friendly, clean, good.
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Review from Dawen H.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
11/28/2010
Excellent bubble tea! Taiwanese food is just ok.
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Review from Wade L.
Bethlehem, PA
4/3/2008
Not bad at all. I'm a little slow on the uptake with bubble tea (it weirds me out) but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it when I went there. Also, the price is right (really cheap, that is) for a trip to go and see if you like it. So what the hell, give it a shot.
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Review from Dallas T.
San Diego, CA
8/29/2009
This place was very nice. Great folks. Very reasonable prices. The jasmine green tea was great. The boba was a little hard. But, hey, I wasn't expecting to be able to get boba at all in Portland, ME!!! So, I was happy to find this place.
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Review from Bodi L.
Portland, ME
7/27/2011
This is a great option for downtown Portland. My son and I love the steamed buns and bubble tea. Yesterday we tried the Taiwanese Shaved Ice - exotic and very yummy.
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Review from Justin H.
Portland, ME
5/31/2010
Wonderful chocolate bubble tea and great steamed buns. A perfect lunch treat.
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Review from Christian R.
South Portland, ME
8/21/2008
The entire family loves bubble tea! They are so friendly and with a great selection. If you want something different ask for jasmine bubble tea. It is not on the menu, but it is wonderful. For a sweet treat the red bean steamed buns are great.
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Review from Tanya D.
Queens, NY
1/4/2010
I've been living in NYC for 8 months and I have yet to come across a bubble tea nearly as delicious as the ones served at Bubble Maineia. I highly suggest a taro/almond milkshake. It's purple! In addition to a being comfortable/chill place to meet friends (there are a few couches and small tables), it is reasonably priced and the owner is super friendly. When I asked her where I could get bubble tea as good as hers in NYC she just smiled coyly and told me that it simply wasn't possible, and I'd have to wait for my Portland visits to get my fix. A crafty lady, that one. If you are living in or visiting Portland, Bubble Maineia is a must.
