Innovative Drinks and Boba – Tea Maru

Tea Maru is a relatively new chain around Southern California. What makes them stand out among the others is that they make their boba in house (think One Zo!) and offer a Fluffy Matcha, which I assume is taking after the Dalgona Coffee trend that started mid-quarantine, except, well, Matcha.

When they first opened closer near me, it was a bit away from my house, so obviously no one wants to make a trek all the way there, even to get boba. However, they opened the location near where my sister has volunteering, so…a great excuse to get boba from Tea Maru! My mom has since loved her Taro Storm and sweet potato boba, my sister will get their smoothies, and I’ve enjoyed every drink I’ve had from their menu so far. In fact, it’s made its way up to one of my favorite places near home.

Their milk teas (what I usually get, duh) are really good and flavorful and you can taste the actual depth of the tea. Their tea is strong though. The milk they use is also very creamy, and gives the drink a really great consistency. I am fortunate enough to be able to enjoy regular milk, but they also have quite a few options here too. Just make sure to check with the cashier/online order when you do. And the homemade boba is great! Lots of flavors to choose from, and great texture here.

Chain? Yes. I’ve only been to the Irvine location.

Drinks Tried: Tea Maru Latte (brown sugar boba, Jasmine Green), Uji Matcha, Wintermelon Tea Latte, Mango Fluffy Matcha, Maru Milk, Taro Storm

Boba: One of the few chains that homemake their boba! There are many flavors: brown sugar, strawberry, mango, and sweet potato. Brown sugar is nice with a classic slightly toasty flavor, the strawberry has a light jammy taste, and the mango is refreshing. I will say, the sweet potato is the least flavorful of them all, and you really have to go searching for it if that’s what you’re going for. What’s a little odd is that is costs more than the others, and is only available on the weekend.

Price: Pretty good for the most part. Of course, for their more “specialty” drinks like the Fluffy Matcha there’s a bit of a jump, but for a standard milk tea it’s pretty worth. Their boba is a bit on the pricier side if you’re ordering it as a topping (aka doesn’t already come with the drink), but it is homemade and custom, so I guess there’s that.

Size: Just one size here, a very nicely sized cup and mostly worth the price of what you’re getting.

Interior: Very aesthetic, at least for me. The pastel pink and the gold accents are to die for.

Wait: Usually not much of a wait, at least the times I go. You can also order online to save the wait too.

Sell Food? Don’t think so, just drinks.

Reward System? Yes.