An Ran Ju 安然居 Gelato & Teahouse — Restaurant in Big Bear Lake

I haven't been to this shop in three years, but I needed to post this.

In Short: I would rate 2 Stars for "Good Gelato and tea but the staff either weird me out, annoy me, are difficult to talk with to the point that I would rather just go elsewhere. Not necessarily rude, but irritating or at the very least, strange.

I remember the first time I stepped in here I asked something to the effect of "Do you have boba/bubble tea" to which the response was "No, but we do have tea with boba." Apparently, my uncultured half-Asian self can't tell the difference, perhaps the motorcycle garb I was wearing made me look like some kind of uncultured rube.

Eventually, I was able to get my requested Passion Fruit "tea with boba", that tasted good. Though seriously, I was in Asia (Taiwan, specifically) scarcely two weeks prior to this visit where the bubble tea shops there that do advertise in English all say "Bubble Tea". And now that I live in Europe, I chuckle every time and remember the time that the "Tea with Boba" lady here told me that they do not have "bubble tea." So there's an extra star for having a fun story to tell to the Taiwanese portion of my family, Asian friends, and all-around enjoyers of Bubble Tea/Boba with tea.

This other time, I ordered gelato (I don't remember the flavor). Tasted good, but the gentleman serving it seemed awfully reluctant to do so for whatever reason. He seemed really friendly to the other patrons, but not me. Perhaps it was the chaps I was wearing, I...

I come here a lot for the Gelato and to say hello to George. Ill make this clear, as a Gelato place, its a very typical, ordered in for tourist consumption Gelato. Id ask which brand of Gelato they use if youre curious. Its not bad Gelato by any means,, its good.. just not anything new or special.. rating as a Gelato plaw, 3.5 stars. As a tea house... 2 stars. If you're looking for boba tea this isn't the place... their boba is constantly over cooked and they do not use enough honey (very mushy and bland). It actually will ruin the tea with its bland flavor. All of their tea is brewed to order so expect a wait and also expect it to be watery if you order your tea iced. I've only ordered iced. They do not actually compensate mathematically correctly for iced teas... they say they do but they dont. They may try, but its a big fail. Expect an edit if I ever order hot tea and my experience changes...

Gelato pt2. : Their selection of gelato is good but nothing different than the gelato many offer as it's not made in house, simply food vendors. It's still good though.

If you're looking for a sweet ice cream like treat in Big Bear, that isn't ice cream,, definitely come here. If you're looking for boba tea, avoid it. I've tossed 2 large teas now, I simply couldn't drink them.

It's worth mentioning again that the staff...

5/5 Stars - Amazing Ice Cream and Hot Chocolate!

An Ran Ju Gelato & Teahouse is an absolute gem! From the moment we walked in, the worker—who I believe was the owner—made us feel so welcomed and cared for. He was incredibly kind, allowing my partner and me to sample their unique and delicious ice cream flavors.

The service went above and beyond when he gave my son a sweet treat that made his day! It’s clear this place takes pride in creating a memorable experience for their customers. The ice cream here is truly the best in the area—forget the usual spots like Dreyer’s or Ben & Jerry’s. If you want something special, you have to try this place!

To top it off, they serve the best hot chocolate we’ve ever had. It was rich, flavorful, and made with such care. After walking around in the cold, it was the perfect treat to warm us up.

This teahouse is a must-visit, and we’ll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend to anyone in the area looking for amazing desserts and a cozy,...