Tapioca Express
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street, Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Wi-Fi: None
7 reviews
Albany, CA
"I only come here when I'm doing my laundry across the street. It's the perfect place to wait while the cycle finishes because the decor is…" read more »
26 Reviews for Tapioca Express
This is the ONLY TapEx I know that serves Tiger Milk Tea (half milk tea & half thai tea) - the best tea ever offered! There were a few times they ran out of Boba, so I had to leave without my drink and was very disappointed.
Since I can't give it a 4.5 star, I say it may deserve a 5. First off, they have an extensive list of drinks. Then they have the cheapest and the best quick calamari in a bag. Their sauce with it is so good! Their chicken is not that bad either. I haven't tried the rest of the stuff they offer. It's loud in their with the music video going and it gets pretty cold. But nonetheless, a pretty awesome place to get a quick drink and snack.
Its awesome when you are looking for a cool drink to enjoy on a hot day, the cashiers are usually not that into customers which is fine with me cause i just want a drink, and don't want any upselling, even tho they could be making a lot more money if they did. Overall great drinks, the wait isnt so so long, and its right next to Hawaiian BBQ.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
delicious i know this place might not be the best, but i still love it. it is so addicting to buy boba from here. this is where i lose all my money. i just cant stop myself from going back for more.
I recommend:
PMS (passionfruit, mango, stawberry) snowbubble (yes i know it has a weird name, but try it! its amazing!)
Mango Snowbubble (awesome as well)
however, they have been skimping on the chicken lately. not sure if this is a trend or just coincidental
I use to love this place because they had the best chicken, tapioca, and open late. But their bag of chicken seem to be smaller. Alot smaller!! Like a bag full to 3/4 full, now only 1/2 bag left. A WHOLE chicken COOKED cost lest than 10 bucks. And I only get like less than a drumstick. WTF So stingy! That's not all. The fryer closes at 9:30 so don't even think about walking in at 9:25 for chicken or any thing else fried!
I ♥'ve Tapioca Express.
This is one the best places to come. I like how this place isnt packed by annoying locals tripping about how their lives suck. I tell you i love the Pina Colada snow bubble and they actually care about how it is presented. The staff is nice.
only con is parking
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Cool (3)
I find myself coming here a lot even though I know I should be on a diet. Let's face it: Sweet milk tea and the junk food they offer here will never be a part of any diet regiment. But I just can't resist the Jelly Coconut Milk Tea and the Fried Calamari/ Fried Squid. I think I made them a small fortune coming here regularly over the past few years for these treats. I'm addicted to them as smokers are addicted to cigarettes. When I have a craving, I just gotta drive here and satisfy it. If you're on a diet: Don't ever step foot into this place. Once you're in, there's no escape.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I Love this place... close to home, friendly environment and the spicy checken is addicting.
I wonder if they can try the same flavors they use for the chicken with their fish balls. There's another place that makes them that way... but it's too far... other than that I can't get enough of this place.
My oldest looks forward to going for his vanilla snow bubble & I don't mind bringing him cause I look forward to getting my addictive crispy chicken #5 & calamari MMMMM! They always have a very nice staff working. They must be used to the Alameda High rush cause they all work very quick to get your order to you in no time. Another great treat they offer is that they don't close so early!! not much is opened after 9pm in Alameda and it sure beats another late nite snack run to Micky D's.
Minus one star for the cleanliness of the place. Sometimes the floors, seats, tables & counters are noticeably in need of a quick wipe down between patrons.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I love this place. But I feel like an addict every time I go cuz I can't get enough of these drinks. My fave is the green apple snow bubble.
I highly recommend this place if you are willing to suffer withdrawals in between visits. Only bad part is the parking is terrible.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Deelish! But don't get the CocoBean unless you want a potato tasting boba...very nice and friendly. Blueberry Snow Bubble and the Taro Snow Bubble were great!
I really nice place to hang outs & you could even play games there. It opens late too which is great for the summer. I never tried their food by reading the reviews I'm deffintly gonna try it when i go their again.
They can be busy or not it depends on the days.
A lot of people go there & even DRINO from the song f*** vans. He was in the board for eating the fried stuff. LOL
I like the thai ice tea w/ boba.
Their grassjelly is good too. Also one time a girl gave us the wrong amout of $.
I rarely give 5's but this place deserves it. I've been to other Tapioca Expresses in the bay area and none of them have stood out as "fabulous" until I met this one.
A few of my coworkers and I came here for lunch today and I have to say I'm coming here again and I'm telling everyone else about it. The space on the inside is welcoming, clean, and the nice bar for people sit and wait on is a super nice touch!
What caught my attention the most, though, was the friendliness and accomodating manner of the management and the staff. Great customer service is hard to come by these days and this store exuded this characteristc. Nice job guys! I have a couple of special requests. They seemed more than willing to meet each one.
Each of these stars was well earned!
Great place to chill. I like the couches, although a lot of people come in and out with take-out crates. Two flat-screens show MTV constantly. The lobster balls are a great mini-meal with your drink (3 sticks of 3 balls for a paltry sum, pepper-spiced to your taste).
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I started working there before it even opened, and stayed for nearly 2 years. The owner Allen is sweet as pie, and I enjoyed all my coworkers. Most of all, I loved being able to eat and drink the delicious TapEx treats for free!
Allen always told us that our goal is to have top-rate customer service, with the best product possible, so even if it takes us a little longer to make a better drink, do it. And alway always be FRIENDLY and patient. He taught us how to explain our unique product to newcomers, so we were never frustrated by it.
After I left in March, I still go back for a Peppermint Mocha SnowBubble with baby tapioca, and an order or crispy chicken, spiciness level 3 (yes, you can choose!). I've been to Quickly's, but they're smaller and kinda rude and kinda slow. I've been to the Berkley TapEx, and it was just horrible...bad drinks and bad food. It made me appreciate Alameda TapEx so much.
Everyone knows what they are talking about with every product on the menu. There's tons of specialty drinks and seasonal drinks (some of which the staff creates!) on the chalk board near the menu board... people sometimes miss them, but those are the best ones!
The best part is...Rockin' music, plasma TV's, and it's open until 11pm or midnight (depending on the day)!!! Finally a place on this island that doesn't close at 7pm! Great when you need a quick, late dinner, and a good place for teens to go where they're not sneered at for being young and out past 9.
P.S.
If you like the mocha snowbubble, but need want an ACTUAL coffee drink with caffeine, ask for the "Carina Special" It's my own original frozen blended drink (it's a hyped up version of the mocha snowbubble), containing an actual shot of espresso, mocha powder, milk, and chocolate syrup, to make a good balance of coffee and chocolate to be sweet not bitter!
Even after a yummy and filling lunch a couple of doors down, I just HAD to get a boba drink... I was thinking, "Yeah! Taro Boba drink!"
So we get to Tap Ex and I "promptly" order the Tiger Milk Tea which is a Thai Iced Tea with Milk Tea (read: milky-er version of a mild Thai Iced Tea) with both the regular and small tapioca balls. DH ordered the "Fresh" Cantaloupe Snowbubble with both sizes of tapioca balls. Both were really good! The tapioca balls were nice and chewy.
Yeah... yum. Now I've been put over the edge. Thanks Tap Ex! (If only your cups weren't so flimsy.)
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
This tap ex is far superior than the one on shattuck in berkeley.
The horchata SB was very good and I have yet to be dissapointed with the selections. I havent tried the food, but it smells awesome every time i go in.
Bonus: one of the rare establishments that doesn't shut down after 8 or 9 on the island.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
For TapEx locations, I think I like the San Leandro one better. Whenever I go in, I feel old, even though I'm really not that old. It makes high school seem that much further away.
The service here is okay. They are speedy, but it wouldn't help if they smiled more. And when asked about the different drink offerings, I got the feeling that I was annoying them.
Update 11/28/07:
I usually come here with my friends when I'm in Alameda during breaks from school. The last time I came here, I was really annoyed that the cashier was more concentrated on playing his DS instead of giving me correct change. When I first ordered, he was off by like 20 cents, which wasn't a big deal. I brushed it off. When my friend called and asked me to order something for him, the guy was off by a dollar. The machine even tells him how much change he should give me. Come on, kid. Get your head straight and learn some math.
I love the strawberry snow bubble. OMG!
I used to go to quickly but their strawberry is a bit sour for my taste. Also the manager was always so rude and cheap. I didn't really care for it.
But Tapioca Express is my favorite. I'm going to try the pinapple next.
Tapioca Express..
I believe my son (with the help of my oldest sister) found this place and every since then I can't stop thinking about them when I'm in town! Their chicken and calamari are so good.. They're great as little snacks and you get to rate the spicy-ness from 1-50? Something like that.. (You get the picture right?) It does make you feel a little on the teenage bopper era, but who cares! I love boba drinks esp if they are made right!
It's a cool little hang out spot with flat screen TVs, etc.
It's 10 o'clock at night and I'm in my pajamas. My apartment is still radiating heat like an Easy Bake Oven with a 100 watt bulb. I'm sweaty...I contemplate wandering down the block for a refreshingly smooth Honeydew Snowbubble. The name itself inspires thoughts of a mystical place filled with milky little snowball sprites jauntily parading through ice capped mountain peaks. But alas, my blue polka-dotted clown pants and stained t-shirt ala Mel Sharples prevent me from fulfilling my frosty fantasy. Oh, if I could only not be so lazy and put on a damn pair of pants...
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (2)
Cool (4)
There's 132 drinks on their menu, but I've pretty much stuck with 3 snow bubbles- honeydew, watermelon, and avocado. They're all some of the best I've had. Sometimes the tapioca balls can be too much of a meal and I get it without.
The fried calamari rings are crazy good. The batter is light and crispy and you can specify how spicy you want it 1-10. Get it with a side of their surprisingly good rice and you have a fine meal.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
So much better than Quickly's. Their service is fast. The middle aged man at the counter is friendly. He waits patiently for me to finish deciding what to order. Spicy calamari is yummy! TapEx is the only place I will cross the bridge to get a drink.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Same Tap-Ex drinks that I've grown to love. Can't get enough of the Caramel Snow Bubble!
And best of all... dun dun dun... a frequent buyer's card?! I love being rewarded for my patronage!
Edit 3/19/08
So it's been a couple years and yeah, I'm still a loyal snow bubble drinker.
But what's this? NEW snack boxes?! Peppered Crispy Chicken goodness just got better.. you can now get it w/ rice, potato salad, and your choice of green or black tea for just under 6 bucks. Not bad!
Kelly, Zack, Lisa, Screech and Slater have the Max. Highschoolers in Alameda have Tapioca Express. I'm not 16 but I feel like one everytime I go here. However, more than just teenagers, everyone seems to be enjoying this place and with reason. In the summer there is a huge line and people from all walks of life come in. Some look a bit perplexed from all the choices but after they order they all seem pretty happy. There is so much to choose from. Milk teas, slushes (watermelon is the best. plus its fresh.), snow bubbles, etc. With or without big boba, little boba, and jellies. The place smells like fried food. The crispy pepper chicken is really good (love the fried basil) and the little lumpias/egg rolls are pretty good as well. The people here are nice and put up with annoying customers like me. They will stamp your card every time you buy a drink and they will even let you bring food in from Kobe-ya and eat it there as you watch the super cool plasma tvs. The best part is that there is a free parking lot next door! Parking can be difficult in Alameda but I guess its not so much of a big deal since 99% of the population lives within walking distance. Woo hoo to another asian establishment in Alameda.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
This place is definitely one of my favorite places to go for a boba drink. There are so many choices and they have food too. The manager is really nice too.
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Island Hopping in the Bay…
While Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson may be… -
Top Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the… -
Boba Kick
Boba, pearl drinks, tapioca drink, bubble tea,… -
My Neighborhood
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,… -
Alameda, I'll miss you
Some of my favorite, and not so favorite places…
Hot and New
- St George Spirits - Hangar One
130 reviews
Alameda, CA
- Eiji
245 reviews
Neighborhood: Castro
- Jubili Frozen Yogurt and…
260 reviews
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPA
- Lolo
119 reviews
Neighborhood: Mission
- Caffe Ambrosia
103 reviews
Neighborhood: Financial District