Swirl Tea Hawaii — Restaurant in Hawaii

Very disappointing experience. We came here on accident but decided to try it out — should have just went to our normal spot.

We came in tonight around 8 pm. I love Thai tea smoothies with tapioca boba — I literally get one multiple times a week from my local boba in Arizona so I know what it is supposed to taste like, look like and also what the consistency is supposed to be.

I asked the gal working if they have regular tapioca boba and she said yes, that would be the honey boba on the menu. I ordered that thinking it wouldn’t deviate too much from the one I normally drink. Well I was wrong — the one that I was served here was DISGUSTING. I feel like it’s really difficult to disappoint me but they nailed it here. The smoothie itself was a much darker orange-red color than normal and also looked different than the same one served to a patron after me (his looked more like the one I get in AZ — a lighter orange color). The boba looked normal until I tasted it — definitely honey but tasted burnt? My partner and mom also tried it and thought it tasted like a campfire. I did notice the crockpot in the back of the shop that had a sign saying it was boba, so I’m assuming they burnt the boba in it and accidentally served it.

Well the cherry on top of this already disappointing experience was when my dad (who paid for all of the treats here for our family) let the gal know that I hated the drink and would like something else. I got a pineapple dole whip instead (it was good) but she still charged us for it and never reimbursed for the drink we gave back to her. Horrible customer service. At the very least, the drink should have been credited back since we returned it without drinking it.

Do not recommend and will never be back. If you want decent ice cream and way better service, go up to Gypsea Gelato...

The tea is pretty good- strong, tasty and dairy free. HOWEVER, I always ask for no ice- it melts and dilutes the tea so it tastes gross and watery. It also makes it cold, which I don't like. Seems like a drink that is FROM TAIWAN they would understand when people don't want ice in their drinks- that's pretty common in Asia. I ordered it that way all the time for over two years, but eventually they couldn't figure out how to put no ice in the drinks. Each time I ordered, I got a completely different excuse. "We can't do that it'll burn you..." "we need it to mix the drink..." "we just have to make you less tea in that case..." I've seen them spill it everywhere because they can't figure out how to pour the tea through the spout without getting ice in the cup (handing me a cup dripping with sticky tea), I've seen them make it wrong then pour it in the trash and make another one, and the final straw was when they made my husband's drink and gave it to him LESS THAN HALF FULL. I was like "do you seriously feel good about giving that to a customer? For $6?" So after I got 1/2 c of tea for $6 and saw them throw out the "extra," I'll be taking my business elsewhere. They can also be pretty rude about it when you ask for no ice. There's lots of boba tea shops that let you choose your ice level and don't fuss about it. If you like ice, then it's fine and the tea tastes pretty great. Just know you're supporting a stingy and rude business that can't handle losing 10cents in ice profit to a regular customer that's been coming in frequently for over two years. Best to lose that customer's money totally than lose 10cents in ice per drink! I promise I'm not a Karen, look at my review history and you'll see everything is 5 stars cause I'm a happy person! Swirl Tea just kinda...

I am so Spey with this place and the workers. I bought a regular cup of ice cream and it’s literally the size of 1/4 cup for 7.50 with 2 added toppings 50 cents each. They put 1/8 cup of ice cream and filled around with toppings leaving me practically no ice cream. I went in and asked for at least an actual scoop for 6.50 and they would not add any. The other thing was that they were out of gummy bears that I paid for and would NOT make up for that at very least. Ugh I am so disgusted with their shop they are so CHEAP for being in a tourist spot and in Kona! Good ice cream but very skimpy small portions for what you’re paying for. Shoots Ben and Jerry’s is around 6 bucks and you get 16 ounces. 2 ounces for almost 7 bucks at swirl tea. Go for Ben and Jerry’s Target 4.50. Waffle okay but they burn them and won’t remake them and not enough ice cream to soak into the waffle and no more drill only soft serve. They are SO CHEAP and the...