7 Leaves Cafe — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

7 Leaves Cafe is my go-to boba shop chain, but this particular review will be for the Costa Mesa location.

Drinks: Almost all the boba drinks range from good up to awesome. This visit, we got a Vietnamese iced coffee and the seasonal Brazilian lemonade. The former was delicious; it has a slightly different flavor than traditional Vietnamese iced coffee, but it's still my go-to drink from 7 Leaves. We also got the Brazilian lemonade, which was tart but simultaneously sweet. A refreshing drink if you want a different style lemonade.

Unfortunately, the prices continue to climb and that means I buy fewer and fewer drinks ... and they get a half star deducted from their overall rating.

Service: The employees here were pleasant, competent, and friendly. Our cashier was happy to give us samples of the seasonal drinks and provided us background info.

The Setting: Located in a strip mall not far from South Coast Plaza, this location is smaller than some other 7 Leaves. There are only 3 long tables, two of which have tall stools and one with traditional chairs. If it's super busy or you have a large party, it might be difficult to find enough open spaces. There is no outdoor seating. It's best for to-go orders, which is not good if you're looking for a cafe to chill at. Because of this, they get another half star deduction from their overall rating.

Conclusion: 7 Leaves is a higher-quality boba shop that emphasizes quality teas and drinks over novelty flavors and sugary concoctions. All employees have always been polite and helpful. The same holds true at this location. Unfortunately it's on the smaller side, so it can't be a convenient hangout spot. Plus, the prices (following industry trends) are higher than should be. But overall, I enjoyed this cafe and would return when...

It's boba time!

This center has quickly become one of my favorite centers because it's like the perfect Asian food hub... with the exception of a couple places. I love me some boba. This place has some good quality boba. Not too chewy not too hard... and they don't gyp you on it either.

The employees are always super chipper and friendly and I love how clean and how much variety they have. I do wish the place was a bit bigger and had more seating.

My go-to is always the Vietnamese coffee easy ice, extra Boba. It's not too sweet and always hits the spot.

I do hate the parking situation here. It seems like it's always a nightmare trying to get a spot, but I do it anyway because I...

I came here recently because I was surprised that there was a 7Leaves so close to my work and I just had to come get it during lunch. This 7Leaves, in terms of set-up, resembles the one on Tustin the most, except this one is alot more spacious and has more seating. There is also alot more natural light entering into the store.

The rest is usual. The teas here are good and the customer service is always up to par. The decorations are always so beautiful as they go for a more rustic interior design.

I could never ask for such a great boba chain to be so near me. My only complaint would be my wallet after constantly coming here...