Evanston: The home of Northwestern students, lakefront homes, diverse culinary experiences, and…bubble tea? Each time I venture to downtown Evanston, I encounter a new bubble tea shop, coincidentally, all within a one mile radius. Although my all-time favorite shop is Happy Lemon, I decided to expand my horizons and taste five other bubble tea locations, rating all of them.
My ratings are based on location, flavor variety, service, the quality of boba (the best part of the drink), and ambience.
Happy Lemon
Known for its speciality salted cheese topping, Happy Lemon does not disappoint. While I may be biased as a weekly customer, this menu is both simple and unique, offering the classic milk tea series, fresh lemon series, slushy series, smoothie series, and even bubble waffles. I vary my order with sweeter and more dull flavoring, usually ordering the jasmine green tea and occasionally the taro milk tea. While it may sound strange, the salted cheese topping is quite delicious. It is a cream cheese creamer, which tastes salty and gives the drink a kick to it (and it doesn’t actually taste like cheese). Located right down the street from Northwestern, it is an accessible walking distance for students. However, it can be difficult to find nearby parking as it is located on a busier street. My most favorite part of Happy Lemon is of course, the boba. It never disappoints, always having a chewy bite. The only major critique I would give is the lack of space in the store. While it is always very clean and the decorations are neatly arranged, there are only two tables and two small benches, making it difficult to stay there after ordering. The other annoying aspect is that there is only one size option if you are ordering an iced drink, and it can sometimes feel too large. If you are looking for a simple menu but willing to pay a little extra for the amazing quality of boba, then Happy Lemon is for you.
Location: ***
Flavor Variety: ****
Service: *****
Quality of Boba: *****
Ambience: ****
TEAlicious BUBBLE
With an expansive menu, TEAlicious exceeded my expectations with many more flavor options than Happy Lemon. I ordered the passion fruit green tea, which tasted good, except it was a little too sweet for me; it definitely would have been nice to have the option to adjust the sugar level. The boba was mediocre and didn’t quite give me the satisfaction that I was searching for. There was also a decent amount of food on the menu, including bento boxes, soup, shaved ice, and egg waffles. I think this may account for some of its flaws; the menu may be too large and not focus enough on the quality of the bubble tea. However, this storefront was pretty accessible with nearby parking and it is situated close to the other hotspots in downtown Evanston like Target and Sweetgreen, which gives it some more traffic. It is also less pricey than other places, making it a more affordable option for those who are not looking to spend too much money. There was also a smaller size option, which is helpful if you aren’t too thirsty. The interior look of the storefront was definitely what I was looking for. There was plenty of seating, and it had a simple and clean look. If you are looking to grab a more exquisite flavor of boba and chill with friends, TEAlicious is definitely the place for you.
Location: ****
Flavor Variety: *****
Service: *****
Quality of Boba: ***
Ambience: *****
Möge Tee
Located across the street from TEAlicious, Möge Tea definitely had the potential to offer some competition. However, my experience started out rough when I ordered the taro bubble milk tea, which was not even comparable to the taro milk tea that I have ordered from Happy Lemon. The taro was clumped in the bottom of the drink, separated from the milk, making it unappetizing. From glancing at the menu, the milk teas seemed to be a hit, especially the brown sugar milk tea, as it was listed as a customer favorite. The boba definitely exceeded my expectations, having the perfect chew to them with the right amount of sweetness. There was a good variety of drinks on the menu with it not being an overwhelming amount. The sizing options were also quite nice considering there was a lot of flexibility with the options. The inside definitely did not have as much seating as TEAlicious, but it had a simple look that was appealing to the eye and clean. There was also great service, and the person helping me at the cashier made sure that he was getting my order right in terms of the ice options, sweetness options, and sizing, which is really important when ordering boba.
Location: ****
Flavor Variety: *****
Service: *****
Quality of Boba: *****
Ambience: ****
Ume Tea Evanston
Despite all the creepy bunny stuffed animals scattered around the store, this new boba place exceeded my expectations and may be my new go-to place. I am not usually a fan of milk tea, but I decided to be adventurous and try the black milk tea with boba. The boba was as good as Happy Lemon, which was a huge plus. I usually adjust the sugar level to 50% anytime I order boba because I don’t like it too sweet or too dull, and it is usually still unpredictable every time I order it. However, the sweetness was just right this time. There were many different cup options including bunny tumblers and bunny surprise cups where there was quite literally a stuffed animal at the bottom of the cup, which is very different from anything I have ever seen. My drink was made super quickly, and the service was very efficient. There were not a lot of seating options, so it is definitely more of a grab and go boba place rather than a hangout spot. Location wise, this was equivalent to most of the other boba places; it wasn’t necessarily near close parking, but it is a manageable walking distance from nearby spots. I would definitely recommend this place for the great flavor variety and quality of the bubble tea.
Location: ****
Flavor Variety: *****
Service: *****
Quality of Boba: *****
Ambience: ***
Kung Fu Tea
Kung Fu, one of the largest bubble tea franchises in the U.S., was a huge disappointment for me. When I first tried it last summer, the boba was not chewy and rather crumbly. So, I gave this place a second chance and was hopeful that it would be better, but the boba was just as bad this time. The flavor of the tea, however, was one of the best I have ever tried. The classic milk tea had a floral taste to it, which enhanced the flavor and helped me forget how bad the boba pearls were. I also did appreciate the sizing options and quick service; however, the disappointment of the boba pearls outweighed all the positives significantly. Unfortunately, the atmosphere of the storefront was also very distasteful, with a toy machine smushed against the corner of the place, which was very odd and did not fit the vibe. It is located right across the street from the Northwestern campus buildings, making it very accessible for students. However, I would definitely not recommend Kung Fu as your first choice considering all the other nearby boba places in the area.
Location: *****
Flavor Variety: ****
Service: *****
Quality of Boba: **
Ambience: ***
Joy Yee Noodle
Located directly next to a fellow bubble tea shop rivalry, Happy Lemon, Joy Yee in my opinion is not quite as good, but is definitely more affordable and has a wider variety of flavors. While I was pretty simple with my order and tried the passion fruit tea with boba, there are an unlimited number of flavor combinations and plenty of room to be adventurous. Walking into Joy Yee is definitely a different experience than other bubble tea stores as there are plenty of people who are going there for the food, which I have heard is very delicious; it is spacious and there are multiple tables to accommodate this. However, there are also plenty of people who are just ordering boba when you first walk into the storefront. It is definitely not as cozy as other places like Happy Lemon or TEAlicious. Depending on the drink, Joy Yee can be more affordable than other places. I once got plain green tea with minimal sweetener and boba and my drink cost around 4 dollars, compared to the same drink size at happy lemon that would add up to 7 dollars. So, if you are looking for a more straightforward flavor with few modifications at a lower price point, Joy Yee is definitely a good option for you.
Location: ****
Flavor Variety: *****
Service: *****
Quality of Boba: *****
Ambience: ****