Lulala Lemon Tea — Local services in San Gabriel

I was genuinely so excited when I heard Lulala Lemon was opening a storefront! I used to visit the stand at the San Gabriel Supermarket all the time, and those hand-smashed lemon drinks really brought me back to the street-style teas I had in Asia. Super nostalgic and refreshing. Back then, they had such a bold, zesty flavor that really stood out.

But sadly, ever since the storefront opened, the drinks just haven't been the same. The teas have become noticeably watered down.. lacking the punch and citrusy brightness that made them special in the first place. I've tried asking for extra lemons to bring back that flavor, but it's been really hit or miss. Rarely, they will add a little more, other times it tastes like they skipped it altogether.

I really wanted to love this place, especially after being a loyal customer from the stand days. But at this point, the inconsistency and watered-down quality make it hard to justify the price. I hope they can get back to what made their drinks so great in the...

Wow, the phoenix oolong lemon tea is seriously so refreshing!

This is a new shop in the San Gabriel plaza (168 market) off Las Tunas. They have a big parking lot, but sometimes you have to park on the street.

I heard about this place thanks to IG influencer Kristie Hang. The owner started out as a pop-up, but now he has his own brick-and-mortar in a popular area! Really glad to see that for him. He specializes in lemon teas with a special lemon that tastes so good!

I was the first customer on a weekday morning. I arrived a bit after 11 am but didn’t get my drink until 20 minutes later. My friend who went on a Saturday waited an hour! I would recommend for patrons to be patient. It’s worth the wait!

I would definitely come back, especially when the...

I’ve been craving their stinky tofu for a long time, and finally got to try it today, it’s even better than I imagined! The tofu is perfectly crispy on the outside and soft inside, and the soup base has just the right flavor, not too strong, not too light. And honestly, it doesn’t even smell bad at all!

The lemon tea totally blew me away, super refreshing, with that real perfume lemon fragrance and rich tea flavor. You can tell they use quality ingredients.

Also, the owner is super nice and friendly, always smiling and so meticulous when making the drinks. You can really feel the care he puts into every detail.

I’m just sad I came after dinner because I was already full 😅 But I’ll definitely be back, this place is a must-visit...