OMOMO TEA SHOPPE — Restaurant in Irvine

It's been a while since I last visited OMOMO due to the fact we never wanted to wait in a long line for a single drink. However, we decided to give it a shot one random weekend, and luckily the wait was only about 15 minutes. Still much longer than most boba shops, but definitely on the lower end for OMOMO's wait standards.

PARKING - Shares a parking lot with several other businesses, so no matter how many people are waiting in line, you'll at least find a parking spot.

SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - The line snakes around and unfortunately has a portion unshaded, so if you're unlucky and come on a day that's busy, you might be standing in the sun for a while. They ask that you keep the doorway open as people go outside to wait for their drinks and need to easily come back in to grab their orders when they're ready. Service is friendly, but I do think they'd benefit from having a mic system as sometimes it's hard to hear the staff yelling out order numbers.

DRINKS - Grapefruit Smash: SUPER refreshing icy drink, perfect for a summer day. I do remember one past experience we got this and it was extremely bitter, so just hope they have sweeter grapefruits in stock.

Strawberry Green Tea w/ Brown Sugar Boba: I got less sweet since I added on the Brown Sugar Boba, which I assumed would sweeten the drink a bit more. However it wasn't as sweet as I thought it'd be, and the first few sips were a bit more bitter than I'd hope. As time went on, it got better. Their boba is pretty good as well.

OVERALL - I will probably turn out of the parking lot if the line goes beyond the next business sign and find a different boba shop as I don't think it's worth waiting for that long. Still, OMOMO has delicious options and quality ingredients that a small wait...

Drinks and toppings are good, and wait is 30 minutes end to end (weekday 6pm) but it’s expected at this location. The reason for the one star is I (one person) had purchased 3 drinks (on the way home for me and roomies) and when I went I was called to pickup was informed that only 4 drinks got a drink carrier. It was mildly infuriating, like at once no big deal, I had pockets I could fortunately put my keys and phone into so was able to hug two drinks with one arm and carry the third with the other, but at the same time I felt insulted and disrespected as a customer that just paid $7 a drink. Like okay, upsell me on every single drink (was asked if I wanted a topping on each drink except the one that I already added boba to, and was asked with each milk based drink if I wanted cheese foam with that; yes, it’s a technique that both assists the customer in not forgetting add-ons but also does increase sales) but don’t inform me at the register that by the way, we only give complimentary drink holders to people that buy 4 drinks so if you want one, you can pay for one now. I mean, if they’re going to be that specific, they might as well go all the way. Chi cha charges 25 cents per drink holder that holds two drinks and yes the cashier says so at the end of the transaction and asks whether you want to buy. Plus if this information happens at the register if you decide not to buy you can then prep for the fact that you won’t have a drink holder. Walk to your vehicle and drop stuff off. So mad I bought a gift card at the same transaction cause I would just swear off Omomo now and call it a day. They don’t care about any one single customer...

This is a solid spot for tea lovers with a cozy, stylish interior and a popular vibe - there’s usually a line, but they work fast, and there are a few benches inside to wait comfortably. The atmosphere definitely adds to the experience.

Their menu includes a variety of cream-topped teas, milk teas, coffee drinks, smoothies, and fresh teas, with most drinks ranging from $4.50 to $6.95. There's also a nice selection of unique items like tiramisu foam toppings and creative seasonal specials.

That said, I do wish they had more variety in their fruit tea options. Right now, the choices are mostly limited to strawberry, lemon, orange, and grapefruit, it’d be great to see more seasonal or tropical fruit flavors in the mix.

Another thing to note: this is one of those places where the boba itself isn’t sweet. Personally, I found that 50% sweetness in the strawberry boba tea wasn't enough when I wanted something on the lighter but still “classic” sweet side - I’d recommend going with at least 80% sweetness for better balance. Also, the boba pearls are served hot and tend to be a bit bland compared to others I’ve had elsewhere.

Overall though, it’s a nice place to treat yourself, but honestly, it’s not worth waiting in line for 40 minutes or making a special trip just to come here. Maybe - just maybe - for the tiramisu topping, which is pretty unique and tasty. Otherwise, it’s a nice place if you’re nearby, but not a must-visit.

I am attaching their digital version of the menu...