CHICHA San Chen 吃茶三千 ( Tukwila) — Restaurant in Tukwila

I love that they're expanding. Immediately when you enter this new location, you can smell the tea aroma. It super spacious and while they have kept some of their elements from the bellevue location, they've also added new decor. The lights, moss, and rocks really compliment each other well, giving this zen feeling even though it tends to be really loud in store just because of how busy it is. I waited about 10 minutes in line and another 15-20 minutes for my drinks. There's plenty of seating so I was able to find one and I don't think I saw an end to their line. I got the Osmanthus mango with taro balls and their signature bubble milk tea. I think this place is honestly so reasonably priced just because how fresh everything is. They're super transparent from brewing to weighing everything by the grams to ensure that every cup is the exact replica. There's not the premade tea and lots of sugar and cream powder that make it taste diabetic, it lives up to its name. Anyhow, the fruit teas are super refreshing on hot days and the bubble milk tea is just so classic.

The biggest difference is they have a new tea tasting exhibition every 45 minutes. You can go up to their counter to print a queue number or they'll call out for volunteers if there's extra spots. But the employees are super nice. They make it as interactive as possible with letting you pick the roast level, powerpoints, and just doing the whole deal in front of you, which oh my god, is also so precise. They weigh the same amount of tea leaves per cup and the temperature has to be exactly 203°F, they also gotta warm up the cup. It's just so professional and stuff that I would've never thought to control in my own tea making. So definitely a cool lesson if you have the time or if you're just waiting for your drinks. I literally only got two sips out of the cup before it was dumped but they told me I could purchase it with the cashier. Which then I could just take home and boil the leaves repeatedly.

I also visited on Mother's Day and they were giving out these reuseable cups for promotion. So cute. I hope they bring...

I visited San Chen after hearing it was a Michelin-recognized spot, with high standards for tea quality. Naturally, I came in with high expectations. Unfortunately, the experience was underwhelming.

I ordered my drink with less sugar in hopes of getting a more pronounced tea taste, but it still came out quite sweet and oddly, still lacking depth. I had initially wanted the taro milk tea with grass jelly, but the cashier told me that only one topping was allowed. When I asked if I could just remove the default topping (boba, or “bubbles” as they call it at this location) to add grass jelly instead, I was told I couldn’t customize the drink at all.

This rigidity was surprising, as I wasn't asking for anything complicated. I wasn’t looking to “hack” the menu, just to swap one topping for another. It felt unnecessarily inflexible.

So, I settled for the black tea with mousse. Thankfully, the mousse was quite nice, it was smooth and creamy with a pleasant flavor. But the tea again fell flat.. not strong, slightly watered-down, and still too sweet despite my specific request for less sugar.

I ended up adding the grass jelly. It had almost no texture and seemed oddly soft, as if it had already been chewed and returned to the cup. Not exactly the premium topping I was expecting. It lacked the firmness and shape that I’m used to.

The branding and presentation were cute, I’ll give them that. But beyond the aesthetics, the drink and service didn’t match the hype or the Michelin buzz. I really wanted to like it, but I left more disappointed...

It's okay. There is nothing special about this spot. I visited here after hearing their tea was recognized for their taste. But not Michelin starred. It's not worth it.

This isn't a spot where you can order and quickly go out with your drinks. It's slow, and it's for people who enjoy watching while waiting. Edit** We went during off peak hours, and we spoke with others nearby they said they waited too long for their drinks. And they were already there waiting before we got there.

For the price you pay, I would've hoped the size would be bigger. Unfortunately, it's pretty small for $8. The local businesses around the area have better quality teas that they imported overseas with better taste.

The team is slow, and the order number sign can be bigger. It's like looking at a whiteboard from the back of the room. Barely noticeable. *The numbers don't go in order...