Half & Half Tea Express Colima — Restaurant in City of Industry

Went here for years, but sadly the customer service here has gone really far downhill for summer 2024. It was Sunday afternoon & had cashier Juliana M. (her full was name printed on the receipt). She managed to get my order wrong not once, but twice in the same order for two different drinks! I pointed to the popular drinks board & told her exactly what I wanted.

1. A milk tea with honey boba & pudding
2. A rose milk tea with honey boba & taro pudding

Asked for no ice in the drinks. Ordered both drinks with the same sweetness.

When I received my order, both had ice. I recalled hearing the dudes making the drinks in the back saying "less ice" and wondered if they were talking about MY drinks, as I was the only one there. I returned to the cashier, and told her the drinks were not supposed to have ice. No apology from Juliana about the mistake. They scooped the ice out, and the Asian guy handing me the drinks apologized for their mistake.

Looked more closely at the drinks when they removed (most) of the ice and...only one had boba. When I told her one of the drinks was missing the boba I ordered, she didn't own up to getting the order wrong...didn't even say she may have misheard. She just insisted that she didn't charge me for boba. Like...did she mean I was supposed to get it for free? I know what I ordered, but it wasn't what was in the cup. Doesn't matter if she didn't charge me-- she missed the topping in my order, which was the issue. What a weird way to try and gaslight your customer. She then charged me 0.70 for the boba, and I waited again for them to fix the drink a second time.

I usually tip for to-go orders, but didn't feel generous this time around for this very reason.

50% sweetness for the rose milk tea with honey boba & taro pudding was almost bitter. The taro pudding was plasticky-tasting and bland in turns. Do not recommend. The usual milk tea with pudding and honey boba at 50% sweet was slightly better, but not as good as in the past. The boba was not as honeyed as I remember, but at least the texture was fresh & tender.

Not sure why the sharp downturn in quality of drinks & service at this usually tried-and-true location...it was as bad as the location down the street. Maybe it's time to move onto a different boba shop. Likely not returning to this chain again, after many years of...

It’s honestly a trek when you have to drive almost two hours from one side of town in Pasadena…. to be on the other side of town to get boba at Half & Half Tea House, in Rowland Heights (technically City of Industry but oh well, it doesn’t matter at this point). I’ve heard many good things about this place, especially with the recommendations my friends gave me, so when I was in SoCal this time around, I KNEW I had to give this place a try for it’s buck.

I was NOT disappointed at all. In fact, I was AMAZED at how they made their drinks. Not only were they cheap for their price, but everything came out to a decent price. Here’s my take:

Food/BOBA: 5/5

I got the fresh milk tea with honey, boba, and pudding. When I say this to you… the boba at Half & Half Tea House was absolutely delicious. The tapioca pearls were FRESHLY cooked, with just the right amount of chewiness. The fresh milk tself was rich and creamy, with a perfect balance of sweetness as I requested to give them. I could tell that they used high-quality ingredients in their drinks, as the flavors were so fresh and vibrant. Each sip was like a little taste of heaven.

Service: 5/5 Not only was the boba incredible, but the service at Half & Half Tea House was also top-notch. The staff were friendly and attentive, always ready to answer any questions or make recommendations. They made sure that my order was prepared exactly how I wanted it, and even offered to customize it further if needed. The atmosphere in the store was warm and inviting, despite the fact I went in 15 minutes before they closed LOL.

Atmosphere: 4/5 will say that the atmosphere wasn’t always the best, but they did have a lot of leeway so you could take your pictures on top of the table and post it for your IG or TikTok.

Overall, my experience at Half & Half Tea House was fantastic. The combination of amazing boba and exceptional service made for a truly memorable visit. The next time that I’m in SoCal, I will definitely be returning to try more of their delicious drinks in the future. If you're a fan of boba tea, this place is...

This chain came much recommended but i was not impressed

Pros: The boba itself was very chewy and the right sweetness. Ample parking in this plaza compared to other plazas on Colima Rd. amazingly large menu with clear delineation of which drinks are caffeine free.

Cons: Opens later than many other chains. I was second in line for the day, but still waited 15 minutes for my order (they called 3 people after me, and I had to ask. Apparently my order was ready except the two drinks of my order were placed separate from each other and they forgot to call.) I got osmanthus milk tea at 25% sweet but it seemed a little too sweet. Another member of my party got the strawberry yogurt smoothie but it tasted more watery than i would expect and couldn’t taste any tartness or creaminess that i would expect for a yogurt drink - it rather almost tastes like a slush.

Maybe i’ll try again in future and go for 0% sweet and a different fruit smoothie. But was not...