Half and Half Tea Express

Often times, some of the best eateries are the really small, hole-in-the-wall types of places. This is surely a boba shop that I would consider as one of the harder ones to find and probably wouldn't know about it unless through word-of-mouth. However, it is probably one of my favorite stops for boba milk tea. The store itself does not have much lighting on the outside, so the sign is quite hard to find as well as the awkward entrance facing the opposite side of the street which would make it hard to find for newcomers. The inside of the store is cramped but always packed with people coming in to get their fix. Once your order is taken, even the wait for your drink is long. All of these factors may scare you away but once you've had a sip of one of their more popular milk teas, you're sure in for a delicious treat.


Their menu is very extensive with a wide selection of flavored teas, milk teas, yogurt drinks, slushes, milk smoothies, and many more. Their drinks are what they specialize in so they don't offer snacks and munchies as most other boba shops do. They stick to what they know and they do a good job at it. What they are most known for is the iced milk teas, which also happens to be some of my favorite items on the menu. It is sometimes sweetened with syrups or caramel but it still maintains its milky and creamy texture. Many of the drinks also include added toppings such as boba, grass jelly, and egg pudding. Their drinks are served in oddly shaped cups that are short but very wide which shows show generous they are with each serving.

Aside from the iced milk teas that I've been raving about, I've also tried some of their flavored teas that aren't quite up to par in comparison to some of the other tea shops I've tried. The Jasmine Green Tea was a little bland and tasted watered down. The Longan Green Tea was just ok, while I hoped that it would have a much stronger taste. I did not get a chance to try their other drinks as there are far too many to have tried them all, but hopefully one of these days I will try something new. That is, if the iced milk tea cravings don't kick in!

In accordance to all of the factors of Half and Half Tea Express, this place is really only worth it if you're in love with the iced milk teas as I am. Without that, I would probably never want to step foot in here ever again. The drive to Rowland Heights is a bit of an inconvenience for me as well as the dark and dinky store and the long wait. I could probably do without it. However, every now and then, it's nice to be able to treat myself to my favorite boba drink of SoCal.

Half and Half Tea Express does not have a website of their own, but you could check out their yelp reviews for the Rowland Heights location by clicking on this link.

Tebo Tebo Tea Lounge

Tebo Tebo Tea Lounge is an express tea lounge that serves you freshly-made tea in a unique bottle.  This is how Tebo originated its name from; Tea in a bottle.  The bottle is specially designed with a large opening at the top for the aroma of the tea, a narrow ring in the middle for gripping, and a large bottom for the boba and any other add-ons for your preference in your drink. 

Tebo has over 50 different types of drinks on their menu.  The most popular drinks are the Peach and Strawberry Tea and the T.G.I.F. I was able to try the T.G.I.F. and put it to the test.  When you order a drink at Tebo Tebo to enjoy at the restaurant, the drink comes in a tall, flask-like glass bottle.  It is creative and unique.  The T.G.I.F. drink is a mixture of green apple and passion fruit tea.  It come with bits and pieces of rainbow jelly in the drink.  The drink is very refreshing.  The passion tea was perfectly sweeten and pieces of rainbow jelly gave the extra flavor to the drink.  I had mine with boba and Aloe Vera, which complimented and balanced out the sweetness of the tea.   

Tebo Tebo is known for their appetizers.  Their popular dishes are the popcorn chicken and the buttered Stone Calamari.  I had the chance to try both of these appetizers.  The popcorn chicken is crispy and soft on in the inside.  The chicken can be seasoned with three levels of spicy: mild, medium, or hot.  This dish comes with a tangy sweet and sour sauce that compliments the chicken.  One dish can serve up to two people.

The Buttered Stone Calamari was a unique dish I tried.  The large squid was fried with a thin, crispy layer.  The dish came with chopped cabbage pieces, lemon, and salt and pepper.  Each bite was flavorful and delectable. 

Tebo Tebo Tea Lounge has revolutionized how people ordered and enjoyed their tea. They have quick service as they strive to make fresh tea when you order it.  There are currently two locations in Garden Grove and Westminster. 

Visit their website for more information and what’s on their menu at tebotebo.com

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Volcano Tea House

Volcano Tea Garden Grove opened their doors in December of 2012.  As it is a franchise there are many other Volcano Teas in every region.  Volcano Tea is your average boba shop.  They use syrups and powders to flavor their drinks. It is a a good place for young adults and teenagers to hang out. Lots of customers play cards and simple board games here.  Not too much of a study environment, as they do play loud music, similar to the music of a night club.  They have blending sweet drinks so their blender is constantly running, this makes the store very noisy.

Volcano Tea serves various drinks such as a long list of slushies, smoothies, and flavored teas with countless add-ons.  When first entering the store you can see their vast menu, for a first timer it might be overwhelming.


Their food section is somewhat large.  They provide fish balls and squid balls, along with sweet potato fries and curly fries.  Most of their fried snacks are seasoned the same, with a certain level of spice and dry seasoning.  They provide a sweet and sour sauce with their popcorn chicken and fish/squid balls, which is very flavorless and watery.

Their drinks as stated earlier, are average.  Their flavored milk teas are made with powder, so they do taste powdery.  They are sweet and to the point, nothing terribly bad.  They will satisfy your sweet drink cravings, however they won't be up to par.

I tried their Taro Milk Tea, Matcha Milk Tea, and their Honey Milk Tea.  All relatively good and will feed your sweet tooth well.  However compared to our milk teas their milk teas are more thick with milk, in which I would prefer a more tea tasting milk tea.


If mediocrity is what they are aiming for, they get an A+.  Other than the menu their service at the Garden Grove location is great.  The workers are attentive and friendly.  Don't be afraid to ask for anything; they are always pretty nice about providing for whatever you need.  They close at 11pm on the weekdays and 12pm on weekends, so its a nice place to hang out with friends late at night.

Here is a video of a personal review on their drinks.