88 Tea Bar & Cafe

I got an order of Katsu chicken and I was super disappointed. I was expecting maybe a side here and there but they literally gave me like «5 pounds» of the chicken with a bit of rice and that is all. Most of the chicken was over-​fried and super fatty. I looked around and saw they sold milk teas with boba and stuff like that, I would probably only try that next time because that is the only thing that looked okay.

Not satisfied with the quality of the bento box.
It was mediocre at best and the chicken I ordered didn’t taste very good.
My corn was horrible and lacked flavor and love.
The thing looked like a TV dinner and was sad to look at. I had to reevaluate my purpose in life and learned never to trust pictures on display because looks are deceiving. Not worth a second visit.

Cool spot to chill, have some really good iced tea, use their wifi and just pass the time. A better option than starbucks if you want to be low key in Mpk and want that wifi!

This tea house is different than most places. It seemed to me that their main focus is more on the entrees than the drinks. I always come here during my lunch break to get Thai tea with boba and a quick snack with my friends. I do believe that the meals are a little too overpriced for (they average about 8 – 12 $) but they give a good proportion for one person. The cashiers/​baristas are the same workers and the service is mediocre. The Siracha bottles are a little bit dirty on the tip because it seems like they don’t really wipe it but it’s a little unsanitary. I do like their student special meals and their noodles are very tasty ! Overall experience I would give it ³⁄₅ stars because of the sanitary of the restaurant and service.

The food was ok, nothing special. We went there on weekday and it’s not that busy but it took a while too get us seated and the service is very slow.

I hate to give them a bad rating, but I can’t accept eating uncooked chicken…
I was yesterday with my boyfriend to get some quick snacks, so we ordered three BBQ chicken musubi and popcorn chicken to go. The popcorn chicken was good, I will give them that, nice chunky chicken, not just thick batter with small amount chicken. However, the BBQ chicken musubi was not memorable at all, it was uncooked in the middle and it didn’t taste like BBQ. It was more like teriyaki sauce. We should have known better to not ordered chicken, since chicken takes a while to cook all the way. Now I know that when it comes to musubi, always order spam.
Also, a while ago we did come here for drinks. I like supporting smaller boba joints around the area, but their drinks wasn’t the greatest. Just be sure if you do order drinks, order half sweetened if you don’t like drinks too sweet! I order their rose milk tea and felt like I was drinking liquid sugar.

Specifically came here for wifi while I needed to handle some business while on the road. Unilocal says they have it but they did not. The honey boba was pretty good tho.

Song Parody #524
Review 1,346
Unilocal 100 2015 Review #99
Personal Rating 4.3 080 914 051 905 041 756 848 128 Stars
My fair Rating 3.088 Stars
In this area near East Los Angeles College you have many options with this being one. A menu with a variety of dishes consisting of rice, veggies and fried, grilled; beef, pork, chicken and Spam
Fried foods, orange chicken and an assortment of drinks including Fruit Smoothies, Flavored Teas, Milk Teas, Ice Fresh Milks, Fruit Slushees, and Coffee’s.
The past Snack list included many items such as sweet potato fries, calamari balls, Crispy Tofu, Egg Rolls. On my recent visit I tried the popcorn chicken, which was pleasing, not the best but pleasing.
–Parking is do-​able
–Music videos on their television
–Comfortable and unique seating
–Plenty of tables to eat and study
–Service and wait time has improved from my 2013 and 2014 visits, I am so thankful, lets see how this goes.
Overall, there are many food options, this being one of them.
Song parody of Taylor Swift’s 2015 song «Wildest Dreams»
LA East, is up in da house
Seats are looking pretty, love the music sounds
I know your diet can’t help you now
You need the carbs and protein, I think it’s time to get some chow
The smoothies are, sweet as I can tell
French fries snack or calamari balls
Box or plate of rice, filled with chicken
Snacks or noodles, tea?
Here is a fruit slushee
Cool you down with ice fresh
Milk latte or Coffee, hey
Egg rolls or Musubi
I can the chopsticks
Even if it’s just in my
Chinese Dreams, ah ah ah
Chinese Dreams, ah ah ah
I said, «Let me fill you up with Katsu»
The chicken wings are there, or the Crispy Tofu
Jalapeño, a familiar sound
Tempura last forever, I hope you will get full now
The smoothies are, sweet as I can tell
French fries snack or calamari balls
Box or plate of rice, filled with chicken
Snacks or noodles, tea?
Here is a fruit slushee
Cool you down with ice fresh
Milk latte or Coffee, hey
Egg rolls or Musubi
I can the chopsticks
Even if it’s just in my
Chinese Dreams, ah ah ah
Chinese Dreams, ah ah ah
You see the bright night lights
Music videos all night
Chairs profound
Service improved greatly
I recall memories
Glad you are around
You see the bright night lights
Music videos all night
Chairs profound
Service improved greatly
I recall memories
Glad you are around
Here is a fruit slushee
Cool you down with ice fresh
Milk latte or Coffee, hey
Egg rolls or Musubi
I can the chopsticks
Even if it’s just my dream
Get me a fruit slushee
Cool me down with ice fresh
Milk latte or Coffee, hey
Egg rolls or Musubi
I can the chopsticks
Even if it’s just in my (just my dream, just my dream)
Chinese Dreams, ah ah ah
Even in my Chinese Dreams, ah ah oh
(Even if it’s just in your Chinese dreams) ah ah
Even in my Chinese Dreams, ah ah

I tried the fresh fruit green tea. It’s refreshing and nice to munch on. My brother really likes their pudding teas. Personally, it’s too sweet. I really prefer the fruit tea more. Overall I think this place is a bit pricey and the product is okay.

The place is spotless, the salmon is fresh, chicken is crispy, and the drinks were authentic.

Food is amazing. Boba is okay at best, teas are good though. Prices are a little high but you definitely get what you pay for. When it’s not too crowded your food comes out quickly. I would give 4 stars but a cashier charged me 25¢ for teriyaki sauce and then threw the quarter into the tip jar. Every other time I asked for it, either by him or the other cashier it was always free. It’s just a quarter, but its the fact that he even did that that angered me.
THIS JUST IN: A health inspected just taped a B grade sign on the window!

Been here for a few times already the past few weeks nothing, but good things. I feel like most of the reviews here are really biased against most things and I believe the best thing here is their ambience and food. Not really for drinks. As many tea places like AU or Tea station usually only have the regular Taiwanese food like sausage and popcorn chicken with rice.
for the price of $ 12 I was able to get a combination plate of bbq chicken, sausage, chow mien, veggies, and rice. Also lets not forget a honey green tea! The tea is good so, is the food. It’s really a lot for the price.
They also have salmon, fish filet, and many other dishes available.
Great study spot, fast wifi, clean shared restroom.
Parking isn’t bad as its in a plaza. Lots of tables too. Their music is great as they put varieties of music from English songs, cpop, and Koop.
I would suggest not to get milk tea as it was pretty bland and tasted like water.
Anything from slushie, straight tea is good. Not as comparable to top tea Chains like au79 or tea station, but def cheaper and affordable.
Lastly they accept credit card and use five star as a reward option.

Nothing too impressive here. We visited this location because we noticed that the boba that we got from a restaurant in Boyle Heights (Huli Huli Hawaiian Grill and Tea Bar) had boba from 88 tea bar. However, at this location, it was more expensive than at Huli’s and it was just ok.
The customer service is just decent and the décor is so-​so. They are very clean, however, and you get your drinks very quick!

They give you plenty food for a great price. I get stuffed with amount they serve. Good tea as well. Love this place. I really enjoy the chowmain and shrimp 6.99 its spicy!

Went in not knowing it was going to be good. I got the combination with the salmon and chicken. It was by far the best combination I’ve had, it was also less greasy than other places. There were a lot of poeple ordening their mixed fruit tea, I ordered it but it wasn’t all that great.

This place is okay. I like it more than the Yoshinoya in the same shopping plaza. My only wish is that they provided a few more broccoli sprigs and veggies with their meals. You know, a for a balanced diet. The tea drinks are also pretty good but as with all of these tea locations, always ask for less or half the sweetener.
The katsu chicken is pretty good.

I ordered the Fresh fruit tea. I would have to say it was really refreshing. The spicy edamame was really tasty. I came when it was fairly slow so I was able to sit down and do some homework. Definitely a chill spot. Will be back again

It wasn’t too busy the day I came in.
But they took a long time for our orders. My family waited roughly around 20 to 30 minutes for both food and drinks.
I do not blame the employees but there were only 2 working, making them completely understaffed.
I ordered the minced pork bowl. I was a little disgusted because there was an enormous amount of fat in the pork where I had to put the fork down after a couple of bites and just played with my food.
My family also ordered the popcorn chicken, which I thought it was a little soggy, and again, lots of fat attached to it. I would have to say, Lollicup and or Tapioca Express on Valley Blvd is much better. However, I have not been to those locations in about 3 years. So I do not know if they are consistently cooking popcorn chicken the same.
I will be willing to try another entrée from their menu the next time I visit home.
Until then.

I’ve been around the area and this place looked good so I tried it today and it was really bad. If you go in and see the picture of the number 6 bbq beef on rice it’s not what they give you. It’s a completely different type of beef. You see for yourself. I don’t like beef that’s stretchy and difficult to chew. And I asked for a coke thinking I’d get a fountain drink and I got can of soda is 1.50. WTF
Update: it’s been two days later and I got an upset stomach. I’m 100% sure it was because of the food from here because my daughter also got an upset stomach and she ate the same thing. I didn’t even finish the food and that was enough. I’m NEVER coming here again.

It’s pretty nice, I like the interior but some tables are kinda sticky. The food is pretty good and drinks are about the same anywhere else. The cup sizes are similar to Half&Half’s big cup drinks.
Free Wifi and good place to hang out with friends and listen to Kpop and American music on the t.v.