Tapioca Express
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
43421 Christy St.Pacific Commons
(at Auto Mall Pky)
Fremont, CA 94538 (510) 226-8200
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Free
156 reviews
Palo Alto, CA
"This is where French excess meets Japanese minimalism. How poetic is that?! What I mean is that their desserts are beautiful and delicious,…" read more »
26 Reviews for Tapioca Express
The tapioca was ridiculously tasteless. A really great place to hang out, the popcorn chicken was awesome. BUT HOW?! How do you mess up a basic milk tea with large pearls/boba?!
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If you like boba don't like going to tapioca places because they're too "asian," this is the place for you. the environment is definitely a lot different from your typical teahouse. the community board and art from local artists are a really nice touch. even the music is good.
their drinks are sometimes a little sweet sometimes, but overall solid. my favorites are passion fruit green tea w/pearls, strawberry lemonade icy w/ pearls, and avocado snowbubbles w/pearls. the owners and workers are all really nice, and if your drink isn't satisfactory, they are more than willing to make it again.
i like their chicken, i wish they put a little more basil, but the calamari is good. as is the beef noodle soup. the french fries are pretty good too.
and i don't think they have a minimum for credit cards now. i'm not too sure about that one though.
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I remember when these types of drinks were called boba.
Then it was marketed as black pearls.
I guess now it's tapioca balls.
In Hawaii you can get taro balls in your drink.
Before it was simple to order, coffee or milk tea and that was it.
Now you got all sorts of varieties to choose from, you can get it blended/slushy or just the juice and crushed ice (there are like 20 flavors or so to pick from, crazy!!!) Too many choices it's mind boggling but it makes it fun, or a huge headache if you have to come here and pick up like 20 of these for some huge extended family get together.
The fresh fruit juiced ones are good, you actually get real pieces of watermelon or honeydew. Yum! On a hot day this is so good!
Staff was friendly and helpful and the place was clean.
They have one of those "spend tons of money here, will give you a free drink later on" cards.
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I've tried to stay away from Tapioca Express because I had a drink years ago, but it wasn't good. I thought I'd give it another try. I came in and stared at the menu for a bit. The three employees that were there didn't greet me or anything. After they helped the guy in front of me, I ordered a cold Taro Milk Tea with pearls. One of the other coworkers wasn't even told my drink and had it done for me before I finished paying. They're so fast! If only they were friendly, they'd get 5 stars from me. Also, if you're a fan of softer pearls, go here. I personally prefer my pearls less chewy.
Ahhh, now this Tapioca Express has the hottest guys.
I think this one beats them all.
I just usually get the popcorn chicken and milk tea with pearls.
I always ask for small pearls and they never have it.
To think...I've never gotten small pearls at any Tapioca Express.
Why is that?!
Maybe one day, they'll have small pearls.
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Huge selection of drinks and great Chicken and Green beans!!
Im not a fan of the pearl teas at anyplace, so I will not rate this place on that. The place was speedy and they take credit cards is a big plus! This place is not that popular at the moment, at least it does not seem like it. Therefore I order, get my stuff, and go.
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My home away from home! I've been going here since they've opened a few years ago. Love the owners & love their staff! I think their food is better prepared than the other nearby locations. Yes, their prices are a bit more (I'm assuming because it's in Pacific Commons) but I'd choose this place over Newark/Union City any day.
This place is one of the betterTap-Ex places in the Tri-City area. They don't possess staff that aren't as friendly if you don't speak their native tongue, or look like their people. It doesn't play loud, annoying music in languages you cannot comprehend. They don't have those plastic chairs that will break to pieces if you weigh anything above 90 pounds. The decor is more modern, and the general atmosphere is more welcoming to a diverse group of people. The crispy chicken is better than the rest of the places, and the drinks come out fast and always the right consistency. I was a patron when they first opened and the owner asked me for suggestions on what to add to thier menu or how to improve it. I'd drive here from Union City even though there are 3 other locations on the way just to be more comfortable.
Ok.... one differentiator of this place vs all the rest of the "PMT" places.... they take credit cards for a single drink. All the rest of the places that I go to are either cash only, or min of like 6 or $10 to use a cc.
I stopped by there tonight.... oh crap... I know I only have $1... the wife has...... $1 too.... great... oh well.. I'll give it a shot.
and they take CC!!! woot!!!! drink wasn't bad either.
Tapioca Express has a great selection of drinks, much more than Fantasia. I usually get the iced milk tea w tapioca, honeydew snow bubble, or watermelon juice. All the drinks are pretty good.
The food is a different story...I've tried the noodles and the ma po tofu lunches. These were average. However, the fried popcorn chicken is SO GOOD!!! You can specify how spicy and it comes out great. The flavor, spiciness, and fried goodness makes this a perfect snack.
3-3.5 stars
This is definitely one of the better tap expresses in the area. It's clean and relatively quite and definitely not fobbed out (compared to the location near Newpark mall)! They're pretty consistent on how they make their drinks too. I've only had one bad drink before (peach milk tea was too sweet) and they re-made it for me with no questions asked. The remake was still somewhat awful...it just tasted really sweet and full of syrup but I guess that's how most of their flavored milk tea drinks taste. I just normally settle for the regular milk teas now because I don't like the powdery stuff they put for flavor..I'd rather that they use fresh ingredients instead. But I must admit that the mango milk tea isn't too shabby. I'll only resort to this flavor if my taste buds ever need an extra kick of sugar. My bf and I normally get an order of the chicken snack or the fried calamari. Both are really good and you get a pretty big portion too!
My bf and I come here every so often to work. They offer free wifi! Plus, it's relatively quiet until groups of teenagers trickle in later at night. But they don't make much noise. It's a great hangout place. And they offer a variety of magazines to read too! :)
Four stars for the service and wifi, two stars for the $10 minimum on the credit card and fried calamari combo. The calamari had a very rubbery, unpleasant texture, not like other renditions I've had. And the bok choy on the combo plate wasn't so interesting being the lone vegetable on the plate. The earl grey pearl tea was the usual, great quality. YUM for a hot day like today.
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This place has a huge selection of drinks and snacks to choose from. I usually stick to the more standard fare such as the snowbubbles or the milk teas but it's nice to know that if I ever had the urge to try something else this place would have it. It is a sort of hangout for local Asian kids but they have always been well mannered when I have visited. They don't get in the way of anybody getting their drink or food so who cares if they want to hang out here?
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I came here last night to get a snack. I ended up buying more than just a snack. They have beef noodle here! I was surprised that a Tapioca Express would have this. This is the first time I've seen it, and I decided to try it out.
The beef noodle is supposed to be hot and spicy but it was mild. Maybe it's because I've tried more spicy beef noodle in the past. The vegetables and noodles didn't really have that flavor that was in the soup, but I couldn't expect more from a Tapioca Express. After all, I came to know Tapioca Express as a place to get some drinks.
This place is very clean. The music being played was super loud. There was distortion in the music. That's how loud it was. It's all good I guess because the people working here want to "feel" the music. Haha! Nothing wrong with that...
The milk tea with pearls was what I expected from Tapioca Express. The pearls are chewy and soft. It's pretty much like most milk teas in terms of taste and all that.
There are limited amount seats but I don't know how it is when it's during the busy hours. There are outdoor seating as well.
Eh, I'm sort of indifferent about this location. If I'm already at Panera or Rubio's and want some Tap, I'll bite. If I'm on 880, I'll drive a bit further and hit up another location. It has its pros and cons, as follows:
PROS: Unlike my hometown Union City Tap, this location doesn't attract the local thugs/racers/loud kids. This is more of a family place which attracts a more diverse group of customers. The local posting board is a nice touch along with "game night". Being a newer location, it is very clean and there are always plenty of workers. Large variety of snacks.
CONS: You will pay more here than any other Tap, especially on the "upgrade" to the larger size. WIFI isn't so solid. The thermostat seems to be broken since it'll be baking one day and cold enough to catch pneumonia the next. Avoid in the late afternoon (sunset) as the store faces the sun.
Overall, its a nice location to have in this area of Fremont. Hope the prices come down a bit soon, but it is still a decent place to grab some boba.
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I have been to this place MANY times. I usually get milk teas and other times I ordered a sweetened hot jasmine green tea too and a macchiato espresso. I've usually had good experiences with them and their service differs depending on who is serving you. The drinks are americanized though. :/
....but so am i....so who am i 2 talk? oh well
they accept credit cards only if its above $10
I happened to be in the area and was thirsty, so walked in.
A blogger I read likes this: Yogurt Drink. I thought it was kinda nasty tasting. Very citrus/sour tasting and a strange yellow/orange color. So yuck. $2.70 was my total.
I should have just stuck with my favorite drink: cold milk tea No Pearls.
Temperate inside on Sun 2/11/07 was like a sauna, how can customers sit in there! I couldn't wait to leave.
Visited: 1
my pic of the yogurt drink above.
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I really like this place. they have great teas, an enormous variety of drinks and a nice, friendly staff. It's a nice hang out spot. They have couches and magazines, and it has a very relaxed and informal atmosphere. They also have a small menu of food, which I haven't tried yet but everything looks really good (chicken curry, vietnamese springs rolls, etc).
Update 3/14/07: I tried the Chinese Spaghetti today and it was great! If I had known it had ground pork in it, I probably wouldn't have ever ordered. The only reason i know it has pork in it was because it was so good that when I was done I asked someone who worked there what was in it. It had cucumbers, fresh basil, mungbean sprouts, mushrooms, lima beans, noodles, ground pork and Tofu in it. I highly recommend it. Yum!
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This spot has replaced the Tapioca Express in Union City as the new racer hangout. Its close proximity to the freeway, with ample lighting and parking makes for the perfect spot for car meets. The security guards are pretty lenient here, so they won't kick you out for loitering, although they may give you dirty looks once in awhile.
The store itself is nicely decorated, but in a faux luxury sort of way. It is also one of the least Chinese/Taiwanese-themed tapioca shops I have been to. Other than the manager, most of the workers are not Chinese, or even East Asian. This can go both ways. For non-Chinese people, it can be less intimidating, but it can also be a negative for those who appreciate the whole immersion experience.
Most likely due to the high rent in this district, the drinks are 25-50 cents more than in other tapioca shops, and are not necessarily any better. You might even say that some taste rather watered down. The pearls are not very good at all. The food is decent, but only if you happen to already be in the store, and feel the need for some grub. I certainly wouldn't make a special trip here for it.
Lastly, the crowds here are extremely sparse. When there is no car meet in town (Fri and Sat nights, with the occasional weeknight) you can pretty much rest assured that you will be the only person in the shop.
To be honest with you, I'm not so sure this place will exist much longer (not that anyone would miss much). Perhaps if they can hold on for a few more years until the A's stadium opens up next door, they might stand a fighting chance. However, as it stands, there is just way too much competition in the area.
In the immediate vicinity (within ten minutes drive), you have far better choices, such as Verde (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), Bubble Act (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), and even Tapioca Express Milpitas (http://www.yelp.com/bi...).
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I have to admit, the first time I tried a drink with pearls in it- I almost threw up. It was so odd to me to have tapioca in your drink.
Since then I have gotten over it and seriously converted.
The place is nice and seems like it is a good place to get a drink and kick it.
I love the green apple milk tea with pearls. YUM!
Just another Tapioca Express. The drinks are just as good as the other ones. But it is more expensive at this location. I dont see the point of coming here when I can get the same drink at Tap Ex in Newark.
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Everyone probably knows about TE's snowbubble drinks and teas. Have you tried the avocado snowbubble, though? It's so creamy with a hint of sweetness.... my friend Vikky got me to try one, and now I love them! The fresh strawberry snowbubbles are yummy, too, as is the jelly grass tea, watermelon juicy, and honeydew milk. The lunches at this location are tasty... very Taiwanese. Eating the food makes me feel like I'm eating at my mom's on a weeknight. ;-) The salt & pepper chicken comes with good sticky rice, a vegetable side and a tea egg. I love tea eggs!! They taste just like mom makes. lol
7/6/06 - Update: tried the chicken curry, too, and it's good! It could use more spice for me (I'm a spice fuh-reak) but otherwise, yummy! I ate it all... and a honeydew snowbubble for only a $1 more - nice!
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Very retro style, nice place to even just hang out. The Fried Chicken is Great, I like it the HOTTEST HOT but sometimes it's too hot, but I like it. HINT: If you are ordering for kids and don't want it to be spicy, make sure you mention NO SPICY.
The Taro Icy with pearls is very very yummy, and if you have too many pearls my brother and my 5 yr old nephew Mikey like to blow them at the tree at the house... They stick pretty well.. hehe
The bathroom is always clean and very pretty inside =) I go to just wash my hands everything I go there.
PS~
FREE WiFi connection too =)~
Enjoy...
Friendly owners and staff, clean place, really good Thai Iced Tea and the noodle soup.
Nice seating area, the couches are cozy. A good stack of magazines, some are getting old (need to throw away), maybe replace them and keep the stack current? :)
I agree that the Bulletin Board is a nice touch, plenty of information about business around and what's going on.
I've used the Wifi, it's fast enough for my laptop and PDA. It's very convenient to have, but nowdays it seems like a must-have for a tea place like this. Which is better than having to pay at Starbucks.
As for the minimum charge of $10 for using ATM/CC, it used to be cash only, so I can't complain. Plus, Washington Mutual (my bank) is just next door. :)
FULL DISCLOSURE - my oldest sister is one of the partners in on this franchise.
I'm not big on boba drinks, so can't really comment on those.
But I love what they've done at this store, infusing quite a few of my family's favorite home recipes into their food menu.
My dad's beef noodle soup recipe is THE BEST in the Bay Area - hands down! Sis modifies it a bit for the restaurant, but it's still pretty darn close. And as Shari said the tea eggs are just like home - cuz they ARE :-) It's my grandma's recipe.
Anyhoo - this location is the newest in the TriCity area and the Pacific Commons Shopping Center has plenty of parking and a DSW (yay shoes!)
I hope more Yelpers will make this a regular lunch and dessert spot.
[PS check out the cute tiles in the bathroom]
Strawberry Snowbubble... 4-1/2 stars.
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