O5 Rare Tea Bar — Restaurant in Vancouver

The tea was high quality and very fresh (5/5), the service was inconsistent. Overall I was disappointed with the experience. (Note to O5 below because I think the tea is great and I have a note of how I wished this was done differently!)

First experience: There was one employee serving all customers and she was extremely stressed out and running around. After sitting down without being acknowledged for 10 minutes we left.

Second experience: We came back about an hour later and there were two additional employees serving customers. I ordered a customized flight. Only 1 of the 3 was something I actually enjoyed. My first tea was a very delicate chinese green tea but it was brewed very lightly. When I asked for the length of time it was brewed, he didn't appear to remember or know the suggested time - he just said the tea leaves are resilient so it doesn't matter. This is not the response I'd expect from a specialized tea bar when asked about a delicate fresh green tea. The second recommendation was not something I'd order if I had been able to smell it first. So I was disappointed with the first two because I'd just followed the employee recommendation and disliked them. The third tea I asked to smell about 5 different ones and I picked a newly received shincha I thoroughly enjoyed. At this point Scott brewed the shincha and answered some of my questions. He was more knowledgeable about the teas and could explain the recommended brewing techniques and tasting notes. This was better and I bought it afterwards along with a couple others I'd smelled and wished I'd tried instead.

Overall, the tea quality was 5/5 but I was disappointed with the overall experience.

TO O5 TEA BAR: I'd recommend making it easy for customers to smell the teas or train all employees to make some effort to understand customer flavor preferences instead of just saying 'this one is the best' without describing tasting notes or asking any questions. Obviously everyone has different tastes and not everyone likes what the employee likes most. I followed employee recommendation for the first 2/3 for my flight, but didn't enjoy them. I knew there were so many options I'd love so this felt like a huge waste :( your selection of teas is superb though and I wish it had been...

O5 is like a mecca for tea lovers!

I have been here before, and had a great experience, and was anticipating a re-visit. There's only a long bar with seating, and thankfully, they graciously let us sit there, while making multiple steeps. The customer service was great and warm- they calmly and patiently explained the different types of tea, as well as the history of the store, which was educational and interactive. Their passion and wealth of knowledge added to an enriching experience overall. Also, the interior was just so cosy and warm - the black wood, warm-toned woods and uniquely shaped lamps heightened the overall experience. On a rainy Saturday, it felt like a cosy hideaway and nook from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Customers enjoyed a tranquil and relaxing time either sipping teas or watching the tea makers work their magic and share their extensive knowledge of teas. I'm super interested to come back to try different varieties of tea and kombuchas. We only tried 2 of the several varieties of excellent tea that was expertly brewed by a knowledgeable and friendly tea master.

Specifically, we tried the matcha tea, which had a distinct earthy and grassy flavour, with bitter undertones. Also, we tried the time traveller tea, of which the leaves unfurled in the kettle i believe, which they graciously re-steeped various times so as not to waste the flavour - and the flavour was bold and on point - similar to oolong/black tea/fruity. On the website, its tasting notes are stated to be dried apricots, candied crabapples and maple wood. Definitely sip and savor it to enjoy its beautiful and vibrant color.

Definitely a bougie experience to be remembered. Thank you O5 for cultivating and elevating the enjoyment of tea to an art form and experience to be savoured. Will be back to learn about and sample more teas, in the interest of health as well.

If you even remotely like tea, definitely make a trip here. There are tea packets packaged in various quantities with prices clearly marked, so you can take away tea as gifts for fellow connoisseurs and lovers. As well, there are some lovingly crafted ceramics. It's located on a street filled with lots of other shops and eateries, so you can take a stroll in the vicinity after...

Had a weird encounter with one girl working at O5. Went in store looking for matcha powder after learning that my favourite coffee shop Saunter uses their matcha. When I asked the girl if she could tell me the difference between two matcha powders, she said monotonously “well they taste different”. I almost laughed out loud because I thought she was joking. Of course they do? I expected the staff to be more knowledgeable but was given an unhelpful reply.

During the transaction I casually asked if the 15% off coupon online works in store. Knew it was unlikely but thought I’d ask anyway since I was there, intending to come back another time to grab a bag for a friend. The same girl replied “usually not”. What does that even mean? That’s another non-answer. She then went on to say that the transaction already went through so there’s nothing she could do now anyway and gestured with both hands into a shrug.

Super weird experience, made the vibes feel off for what I imagined would be a calming environment. Especially disappointing after expecting a completely different experience based on other reviews. I don’t know if she was having an off day or if that’s her usual personality but there was no warmth in the service and she was overall unhelpful and unprofessional.

There’s also no clear signage on where to pay if you’re just looking for merchandise and not sitting at the bar for a drink. It was difficult to tell because the entire space feels quite cluttered, especially behind the counter, but the register is hidden at the far end of the store. On a busy day when the bar is full I guess you kind of just have to hope you make eye contact with one of the people working at the bar and wait awkwardly at the counter.

I actually did end up returning the following week and a different girl working gave me a much better experience. It’s unfair to the business when one employee ruins a customer’s experience but unfortunately that’s sometimes how it is. I will say that their take home matcha is good and decently priced, so I guess come for their products rather than the experience, but even then I’d think twice when there are countless other options...