Young Tea Bellevue — Restaurant in Bellevue

modern boba place to chill -

First of all, this place's entrance is at the back of the building, so you have to drive around to the back. They have a sign on a pillar just in case you are lost.

We got there around 12:45 pm on Sat, and there were already 5 groups in queue to order. You can order online as well, and that might save some time. The store was like 85% full with most of the seats taken. Most of the customers are Asian, and there were even some elderly taiwanese women that were less seen in boba places. They were enjoying the hot grass jelly there at the time.

We ordered the signature milk tea with 30% sugar and no ice, and the cashier was nice to remind us that their tea is stronger so it'll taste less sweet. We then changed it to 50% sugar. I think this matches my experience from their Wallingford store. The drink was slightly less than $8 before tip.

Their tea is good, but it tasted a bit watered down for me still. I actually prefer chi cha San chen or hey tea over their tea, but that's just me. I think they definitely focused more on making the store a nice spot to hang out more than other two (since they were more or less grab and go places).

The decor and interior design was more modern/hip than other places. They have tons of comfortable couches there, and people were enjoying their time there. They also have free wifi for guests as well, so you can bring your laptop to work here.

They have a loyalty program, but you gotta buy 20 to get a drink with 1 toppings free. I guess it's better than nothing. The only downside here is that they only have one gender-neutral restroom here, which is not that good as they also sell...

It was our first time trying Young Tea since we've never been to the Seattle location. We ordered:

Signature Milk Tea & Wuyi Wild Black Tea - Both teas were excellent with plenty of tea flavor, however the boba was too hard. They must fix this. Fresh and properly cooked boba should not be so difficult to chew, it should be more QQ (as a Taiwanese person who has had plenty of bubble tea even in Taiwan).

Mango Smoothie - It's okay, good but nothing special, more runny than other mango smoothies in the area.

We got a sample of their Premium Collection Jasmine Pearl made using their special brewing machine, and while it did brew impressively fast and fun to watch, the result was lacking in flavor. I grew up with Taiwanese and Chinese teas and worked at a tea tasting store before, you never over-brew teas, but the sample we had tasted very under-brewed and almost like water.

I truly hope they improve these things, especially the boba, because I really, really want to keep coming back and supporting local family-owned businesses. The staff were all wonderful and welcoming, and the interior and space is gorgeous! But great staff and a beautiful bubble tea shop doesn't mean much if you can't get the boba right!

Looking forward to writing an updated...

I’ve been a fan of Young Tea since they first opened their original store in Chinatown over 10 years ago, and it’s been amazing to see how far they’ve come. The Bellevue location has the same great quality and care in their drinks as the Seattle shop—consistent, flavorful, and thoughtfully crafted.

The space is beautiful—modern, clean, and cozy, located in a new building with nice decor. Just a heads-up: the entrance can be a little confusing at first. Don’t go up the stairs—there’s a door at street level that leads you right in.

What sets Young Tea apart isn’t just the drinks, but the warmth and sincerity you feel every time you visit. In a time when bubble tea franchises are popping up everywhere, it's so refreshing to support a local business that truly values community and quality. This place is special, and I’m so proud to keep supporting them all these...