Nice Tea — Restaurant in Northampton

Considering all the boba places in Amherst and Northampton, this one is definitively the best, hands down. The quality of drinks is easily better than any of the other ones I've been to in Amherst, and considering the increasing prices of those places, this place is also totally reasonably priced IMO. I was particularly surprised at the quality of the matcha tea and the milk teas were great too, with a nice distinct tea flavor. Tapioca pearls are also included with the drinks by default which doesn't seem like a big deal but I've seen places that charge extra just for that so wanted to shout out that too. I also really like their appetizer menu, I've never seen any other boba place that serves stuff like egg tarts, gyoza, or crepe cakes. Tried the matcha cake and it was awesome (a bit pricey, but considering how it was actually tasty and no where else remotely close by serves it, it was worth it) Excited to try the other stuff especially the egg tarts at some point.

As an added bonus, they have free water, plentiful tables (and really comfy couches!), outlets next to tables, board games, free wifi, and stays open decently late. Personally I think the owner or whoever was in charge of the design of the place put a lot of thought into this place for the comfort and convenience of customers and it really shows. Really hope this place does well, definitely going to be...

I wanna start with the positives: the tea was pretty good, a little sweet but good! the menu is decently easy to understand, and the atmosphere is great - everything seems clean, inviting, plentiful seating, it’s great. that being said i’ve been here twice now though and both times it seemed clear the staff had really poor communication with each other. i’ve worked similar food service before and i understand that it’s tough especially when it’s busy, but both times i’ve been there the wait has seemed really long and i’ve watched multiple drinks get finished but not called out for upwards of five minutes after they’re done, which is a little concerning when the beverages being served are iced and/or contain dairy. and both times i’ve watched employees actively say stuff along the lines of “oh this is done? why didn’t you tell me” or “i didn’t realize this was finished” (not exact quotes but those sorts of comments). it’s just a level of visible unprofessionalism that i’ve seen lead to people not getting their drinks until long after they’re done. the system they have for announcing what drinks are done is also somewhat inconsistent and unclear, although it was improved the last time i went where they’ll announce a number (but they didn’t for everyone)

the drinks were fine but the service really seems like it could use some...

This was my second visit. I don’t recall the first being particularly memorable, but unfortunately, today’s experience left a lot to be desired.

The atmosphere and setup of the place are nice—definitely a spot where you’d want to sit down and relax for a while. However, the customer service fell short. There was no greeting upon arrival, and it felt impersonal having to place my order on a screen while a staff member stood idly behind the counter.

Additionally, the staff member seemed unaware of the orders in front of her—I had to clarify if an item was part of my order, and she didn’t seem to know (it was not busy during my visit). Another customer left upset and without their order due to the lack of communication. Even more disappointing, after the customer left, the staff member shouted to her coworker about what had just transpired—and laughed! Not professional at all.

Lastly, the employee had their midriff exposed while working—not necessarily a deal breaker but just adds to lack of professionalism.

Overall, nice setting, but the service clearly needs...