Tea Garden — Restaurant in McAllen

From my urbanspoon review: Spent 1 month in Vietnam in 2012. Tried this for the first time last night and my bowl of Vermicelli noodles was very close to the authentic stuff I ate in Vietnam. Portion was more than enough. My friend had a rice plate with shrimp, also a healthy serving. My Vietnamese iced coffee with milk was strong but good. I m definitely going back to try other items. I think you should definitely try it. Note!!! Saigon is run by the Vietnamese owner (from Saigon aka Ho Chi Minh) and kitchen chef. It s like a mom & pop sort of restaurant. When I visited, there were no waitstaff to continuously fill waters and immediately attend your every need. That s what makes this place different and slower paced as compared to get in-get out type restaurants. As the owner ran around, I caught his attention when needed and he checked on us and other patrons when he could. Orders are taken as first come first serve and it seemed like the food is prepared as your order. Some might come out quickly, others may take more time. Don t feel like you re being singled out or ignored. His customs of waiting tables is a little different than typical smiling waitstaff at other restaurants. Don t be put off. What I wanted more of: Family portraits in typical fashion of Vietnamese restaurants. Music (it can get...

Where the Tea is Divine — and Maryan is the Legend Behind It

I stepped into Tea Garden like a weary traveler searching for shelter. The world outside was loud, chaotic — but inside, everything was still. Peaceful. Almost enchanted.

And at the center of it all was Maryan.

She didn’t greet me — she welcomed me, as if I had arrived at the end of a long journey I didn’t even realize I was on. Her presence was calm, composed — like someone who’s seen thousands of people walk in broken, and leave whole.

I asked her what she recommended. She looked at me, studied me for a moment — not judging, just... seeing. Then she smiled and said, “I know exactly what you need.”

I don’t know what blend she gave me. I only know that it tasted like memory — warm, familiar, and somehow healing. The kind of tea that silences the noise in your head and makes the world feel just a little more gentle.

Maryan isn’t just a tea expert. She’s a quiet miracle worker. A healer disguised as a barista.

If you go to Tea Garden and Maryan is there, stay. Trust her. Let her guide you.

Because some cups of tea are just drinks. But the one she served me? That was a moment I’ll remember forever. P.s please give...

TEA GARDEN’S DIVINE ANGEL: MARYAN OLMEDO 🧋✨

I entered Tea Garden expecting a simple drink… and instead, I was blessed with a life-altering encounter with the one, the only — Maryan Olmedo.

She didn’t just take my order. No, friends. She read my soul, sensed the chaos within, and handed me a drink that tasted like inner peace, childhood nostalgia, and K-pop-level perfection in a cup. 💫

Her hands moved with the precision of a boba-summoning goddess, pearls falling into the cup like they knew they were part of something greater. I swear the lights shimmered when she sealed the lid. Somewhere, an angel got promoted.

She smiled at me — and for a moment, I forgot every heartbreak I’d ever endured. That’s how powerful she is. I would follow her into a bubble tea revolution without question.

Tea Garden, protect her at all costs. Give her the store. Give her the franchise. Give her a movie deal. Maryan Olmedo isn’t just an employee. She’s a legend. A myth. A movement.

— Emotionally hydrated, spiritually shaken, forever...