Bird Pick Tea & Herb

I am a tea snob. We have some fantastic tea shops in Paris, and in my family it is really something we take seriously. Almost as seriously as wine. I have a transparent tea pot to check if the leaves evolve correctly when immersed at the right temperature. I love the smell of a good, very good cup of tea. Unfortunately I am not rich, so I always look for the right price, too.
This shop has some serious classics, some organic teas, a very good choice of oolongs, a very good and not too expensive Assam, and all over a very good choice. The prices are the right ones
You can buy tiny bags of tea for testing, for one or two dollars, depends of the tea. I bought 6 varieties the first time, and came back for bigger bags of my 2 favorites, but all of the teas I tested were pleasant surprises. The staff is nice and helpful.
I also had some of their ice teas at the tea bar. It was delicious !
I will come back for more, and for gifts too. I hope this shop will have a lot of success!

Great amazing tea! I ordered a green tea latte special drink and it tasted so delicious. The server was friendly and I always love a spot that gives Starbucks a run for their money! Being in this store just made me happy. :)

I stumbled into Bird Pick Tea & Herb when in search of a caffeine hit. This spot really caught my eye because it was so incredibly cute and the theme is consistent. I felt incredible zen just walking into the store.
I debated among a few different teas: Lychee Oolong, Matcha Green Tea and the Mint White Tea. The employee behind the counter gave me some very detailed descriptions of each of the three items and I ended up choosing their Lychee Oolong tea (an iced option). The order of the Lychee Oolong is spot-​on: incredibly light and refreshing with a hint of sweetness. The lychee flavor is very evident and it’s quite fresh. The only thing is, I wish they weren’t so expensive! A small drink rang me up almost $ 5.

Really cute tea place… décor was pretty and service was very friendly.
However…I ordered the green tea latte with soy milk. It was so bland I asked for some condensed milk (which is what it comes with if you just get a regular green tea latte) and it just tasted like condensed milk. I don’t know… maybe the guy just didn’t know how to balance the flavors. Meh.

Friendly service, both Lychee oolong iced tea and matcha tea with soy milk was yummy! It quenched our thirst after a long day of shopping. :)
Free wifi!

After Blue Stove for lunch upstairs, our party of 8 went to Bird Pick, as recommended by our friend, Orlando. I thought I saw this place originally in Honolulu, over a decade ago, but maybe it was a different name.
I always walked by a few places just like this, but never tried anything. I may have even walked in for a bit, but my memory is fading… :(
I love the high end atmosphere and detail of the place. The variety and the fact that it didn’t smell funky like places in Chinatown, was a plus. I ordered an iced tea fusion with ginger and lemon. It was sweet too! I am not sure what they used to sweeten it, but I am guessing and hoping it was organic.
We moved some tables around to accomodate the 8 of us. The service was friendly and I am inspired to try more healthy teas. I’m sure the products are pricey, but I am an atmosphere guy and I love it atmosphere.

I was pleasantly surpised to come across this store in Santa Monica after having visited their Pasadena location. I can’t help but compare it to a certain tea shop found at upscale malls, and Bird Pick knocks their socks off. If you like tea, I strongly suggest shopping here. These are just some of the reasons:
Friendly Service– Genuine service with staff that is there to help you, no matter how much you are spending. They care more about finding something that fits your needs than selling you a ridiculously overpriced tea pot (like you might encounter elsewhere).
Yummy variety– you can spend a long time just reading about the teas, smelling them, and trying to find a favorite. They have loose-​leaf teas as well as boxed teas and packaged gift sets.
Good prices– They have very fair prices, all clearly displayed. You can buy loose-​leaf tea in small packets to make just a few cups, or larger bags by the ounce as you wish.
Free samples– We were planning to buy small portions to taste the teas we liked and the employee helping us offered to make a sample of them so we could taste them. We ended up buying a large quantity of the one we liked more, so it helped us make a more educated decision, which increased their profits! (Also much better than the mall tea shop with their $ 5 cup of tea if you want to sample it).
They also have a little café bar area where you can order tea and choose from a selection of packaged food products. They have several seating areas, making this a place to do some quick shopping, or some lounging and relaxing with a cup of tea.

I’m not a huge tea person… I’m more of a coffee girl… but a friend and I decided to stop in here when we were in the area and wanted something to drink. Mostly because we can’t afford anywhere else in this mall. And because the sun was still out, and people judge if you drink alcohol at that hour. Anyway…
This was an incredibly cute, charming, quirky little shop. I know it’s a mini-​chain, but it still had so much character and warmth. They serve a variety of hot and cold tea drinks, blended tea drinks, milk teas, and fusions, and they will also freshly brew any of the loose leaf teas for you. Drinks are around $ 4. I ordered the Purple Drink, was deliciously refreshing with sweet lychee.
The retail space takes up most of the store, with TONS of loose-​leaf teas in bins, with all kinds of interesting flavors and varieties and sold in any amount, brewing accessories, teapots and cups, and other fun little items. Great place for gifts, to catch up with a friend, or to wander in after a date.

I was gifted :)
I do believe my 90+ exercise student intended the «Parisian Romance» loose tea to be a «now or never «message to me.
So, tomorrow I will forgo java and see what tea might foresee…
12−19−12: This caffeine junkie is officially «in like» with «Parisian Romance’s» tartness and subtle, «strawberry notes», so much so, as to buy it!

Yay! I am a fan!
The Pumpkie and I were looking for a tea room… but since it was so late we decided on dinner and some tea afterwards.
I have wanted to check this place out since they opened their flagship store in Pasadena but I just never had the chance to check it out.
Since the closest one to me is Santa Monica, we checked out that one. It’s in the new Santa Monica outdoor mall complex (2 hours free parking by the way! — big plus!) and it’s on the 1^st floor near Bloomingdales.
The inside is cute. The right side of the store is full of glass canisters full of loose leaf tea. There are these cute laminated labels on the canisters printed on big fabric tags. Very charming!
There is tons of tea to choose from (they had two different containers of rose buds (a China rose and a European rose) as well as another black tea rose blend. I’m a huge fan of rose tea (can you tell!) and I was tempted to buy something but it was really confusing as to how you actually purchase the loose leaf tea. They only had a display of a gift box… how about if I just wanted it for home use? and I didn’t want to ask… so I didn’t buy any… but they did have a huge variety of every single types and lots of more exotic florals (which I am a fan of) and even some «instant tea» which looked like «instead coffee» granules. Interesting.
Ooh! They also did have a really large selection of flowering teas… which I’ve been a fan of since I was taken to a tea room one time many years back. They’re awesome and so cool and they did have several different types here! Awesome!
Now for the left side of the room. There is a little «tea bar». There is a bunch of seating inside. which is also charming. Looks like something out of a storybook… a dark wood with lots of dents and details in a charming way. There is even one against the window with a big bench where we happened to curl up. Cute! :)
Now for the teas:
Pumpkie had the matcha green latte… which I tasted. It was good. To me, those always taste a little «seaweed-​y». I’m not sure why… but it was okay. Very strong but good. Although, I must say the best I’ve ever had was at Hugo’s Restaurant in Sherman Oaks… but that’s the only thing I liked there.
Anyway, I had the iced Lychee Oolong tea. Sooooo good! I mean so good! Was definitely more akin to the teas I remember having in college that I loved and brought those memories back. So good! I’m a big fan of Lychee though… and there was a huge Lychee nut in the bottom of tea. Yay!
Anyway, there is a Groupon for Bird Pick right now… so I’d check that out. I know I went back and purchased it so I can get some loose leaf teas the next time I go in! Now, I only wish there was one closer…

GROUPON DEAL: D
get it! perfect to use for holiday gifts! Don’t forget to hit up the tea bar!

Great place to grab a cup of fancy tea. We ordered the lychee oolong and the tropical sunrise. The oolong tastes just like a lychee! The sunrise was so pretty, a little on the sour side but delicious. Customer service was great as well.

Ask Little Bit what she is most looking forward to about moving out and the first thing she says is… «Making Tea in my own place» :) I so LOVE my daughter!
This was a most EXCELLENT find for us. Located on the bottom floor and filled with great loose leaf teas — Green Teas and Black as well, a hUGE selection of items for 50% off they have a Café area but we didn’t eat anything Christyl bought a Tea Sampler for $ 12.00 and is happily sipping on a cup as I type :) Also may I mention that they have quite a bit of Tea sets to peruse and purchase as a lovely gift for that friend that enjoys a cup from time to time.
So if you are in the area and are a connoisseur of Tea get your Booty over/​down to Bird Pick Tea and Herb and partake of their delicious varieties.
Respectfully Reviewed

What a find!
We wandered past Bird Pick Tea after brunch and on our way back to the parking lot. So glad we decided to stop!
The people who work here are super friendly and helpful, and are willing to answer questions about the many types of tea they have. You can select from ANY of the teas on their floor which is pretty overwhelming. I went with the Black Lychee Tea which was delicious. It came out piping hot and we asked for ice, and they promptly brought mini cups of ice for me and each of my friends.
They sell all sorts of tea accessories like you’d expect — tea sets, strainers, boxes to go. or they also have tables for you to sit at to drink our tea, or you can take it to go.
The place is super cute and relaxing.
Big fan!

This is a super cute spot on the promenade with delicious tea! I came here with my bestie to grab a drink after work and just chill, and that’s precisely the type of environment it has.
Funny story. After chatting for a bit we took our drinks and left. It wasn’t until we were already in CB2 that we realized we hadn’t paid! We ran back to the store and apologized, but the workers were so chill about it. She said she didn’t think we did it on purpose and had a feeling we would come back, which is exactly what we did. It just seemed super cool that the workers gave us the benefit of the doubt and trusted that we would return. Drinks were delish, store was cute, and workers were great! Definitely will be going back :)

I took my date here on a Sunday afternoon because he was recovering from tonsillitis. We ordered Mark Cloud 9 for him. I had an iced tea, which was a blend of exotic flavors that the staff hand made for me. It was outstanding.
Bird Pick Tea & Herb is located at the 1^st level of the recently remodeled Santa Monica mall. There’s 2 hour free parking in a highly innovative parking structure.

I am obsessed with this place. I’ve been to all 3 locations (here, Culver City and Pasadena) and all of amazing! This seems to the largest location and is located at Santa Monica Place. There are a few tables to sit at to enjoy your drink and do some work, read a book, catch up w/​a friend, etc.
My drink of choice — Lychee Oolong. I’d like to meet whomever made up this concoction and give them a hug. It’s probably one of my favorite drinks ever — more so than anything at Starbucks, Coffee Bean, etc. It’s not too sweet and since it’s a white tea, not too strong… just perfection.
I’ve also tried their Tropical Sunrise a few times and it’s delicious, but doesn’t hit the spot like the Lychee Oolong.
The staff is always friendly and talkative, willing to answer any questions. Also, they received started issuing stamp cards — I think after 10 cups, you’ll earn a free drink. IT’S ABOUT TIME!
Now please open up more locations, preferably in my kitchen so I can drink my LO all day, every day.

Great tea place, great variety and service too! It’s a shop as well with lots of great gift ideas. Wouldn’t say the quality of the glass being sold is that great but if you’re careful and less likely to drop things then it might be worth the buy.
Matchi Soy Latte. It comes super extra hot so if you want to drink it right away, request a few pieces of ice!

Quite a number of containers of loose tea to choose from. A variety of flavors from all over the world. Take some home or have some brewed at the tea bar. They also sell tea pots.
A great place just to stop in, sit down, and drink some tea. The staff seems to be very knowledgeable about teas and able to answer all your questions.

the worker said you’d be surprised how many people walk in here thinking they sell coffee… ITS TEA AND HERBS FOLKS & that’s all she wrote! although they do have some «tea snacks» like dried fruit and nuts on the side and tea infused cupcakes made by the Red Velvet Gourmet Co. SPECIALLY for them using the teas they sell in the store!
i tried the chrysanthemum tea w/​a ton of honey that is available on the side and the matcha cupcake! very interesting green tea taste and MOIST cupcake!.. the red velvet was sold out by the time we arrived =(
its in the new santa monica place& they sell loose teas on one side of the store THEN on the other side they’ve got a tea bar/​café with only counter seats, but they really could add tables in that HUGE space!
the workers here are really NICE and social, just chillax at the bar and chat it up w/​the TEARISTA (NOT barista)