Bubble Puff & Tea

I like this place. Every time I come here I feel like it’s my own place. I’m the only one there and there’s no crowd. I dig the feeling of exclusivity. I’m sure there’s a peak time when there’s foot traffic but I have been lucky to never be present. Once I saw a guy sitting outside but that was the only time. I hope people don’t see this review and start coming here.
My go-​to-​drink is coconut madness, a mix of coconut and mango (my two faves all in one). A large drink will set you back under $ 5. I like mine sans pearl, or bubble, cuz to me it’s taking up space in the cup — similar to how at Starbucks you get a large ice coffee… they fill it halfway… then fill the other half with ice. So essentially you pay for a large, but are only getting a medium sized drink. Criminal I tell ya. Me I like to get what I pay for.
In essence this is a quaint little spot. A hidden gem in the heart of Kapahulu.

The toppings for the puffs are free. We didn’t know that so we tried it plain. Still good. I preferred the jelly versus the boba bubbles. It’s a smalll little shop so to-​go would be best. Street parking only.

I love when my husband says he needs a haircut. Cause that means I can go to Bubble Puff & Tea next door! The girl that works here is SO pleasant and sweet. She makes our drinks perfect everytime. I love, love, love the Tony Tea, but sadly they’re always out of it :(But literally everything else is fabulous and never disappoints. Their jalea drinks are amazing. And not to mention, they have shave ice and in keiki sizes for my monkeys for $ 2.75. The toppings are cheap, ice cream is $ 1.00. And taste better than their competitor down the street. (Waiola sucks, IMO) Go try it!

I’ve been in Hawaii for 8 months, and today was my first experience with bubble tea. I inadvertently avoided one of the most famous local beverages and decided that enough is enough, I need to find out what the hullabaloo is all about.
Would it be refreshing enough to make me regret living here 8 months without it? Would the regret consume my soul? Leaving me a hollow husk of my former self, screaming to an uncaring universe about the nasty, brutish, and short nature of life? As you can tell, the prospect of bubble tea terrified me, and I needed to find out what it was all about.
Amazingly, my fears were unfounded. Turns out bubble tea is a delicious tea/​milk beverage with this jelly shit at the bottom that gets sucked through your straw as you drink. These flavor enhancers are a nice addition to the whole «tea» experience. To be honest, I was slightly underwhelmed. The beverage, while tasty, failed to send me into an existential panic. Instead, I felt slightly more refreshed, awake, and ready to keep working.
The «Bubble Puff» pastry was damn good. Its like bubble wrap but instead of plastic filled with air its a delicious pastry covered in powder sugar and chocolate. Another great addition, this place sells cell phone accessories (wtf) in case you need an iphone charger in a pinch while you purchase a delicious bubble tea. While it won’t make you question your existence, it is a great place for bubble tea and bubble puff bread. Typing bubble too much has started to make me feel slightly homosexual, this review is over.

Came here a few days ago after I had finished work, with my boyfriend. I had ordered a bubble drink can’t remember the name but it was something berry, and my boyfriend got a strawberry bubble drink (our first time there) I was kind of surprised that it cost .50cents extra to add the tapioca balls, because usually bubble drinks comes with it. The prices aren’t bad at all though. The woman working was really nice, it’s a small shop but it’s cute and chill. The only issue I had was my drink (berry something) had no taste. I’m not sure why but there was no flavor. My boyfriend offered to switch drinks with me and his was really good lol. Next time we come I’ll definitely try a different drink or their deserts, it sounds really good.
I’m giving it 4 stars for the great service (:

The staff is very friendly and nice. The drinks are awesome and the prices are reasonable. If you like coffee, you should try the coffee jelly. It’s delicious and refreshing. And you can always customize the sweetness to your taste.

After a delicious lunch at Pioneer Saloon – which has NO AC – I was ready for something cold and refreshing. I’ve been on a search for all the good boba spots on the island, and I noticed that Bubble Puff & Tea got good reviews … and, more importantly, it wasn’t too far away.
Parking here can be difficult to find – you just have to find parking within the neighborhood – but my mom and I were fortunate to get a spot on the short drive from Pioneer Saloon to Bubble Puff & Tea. We didn’t have to park too far and it was just a short walk to the café.
There are a few tables on the narrow sidewalk outside the café, as well as a few tables inside the small interior. I’m guessing most people get their drinks from here and hang out elsewhere, but there are a few seats available if you choose to eat dessert here.
Bubble Puff & Tea is famous for their bubble puff, which is a sweet, crunch and airy dessert waffle. I do want to try their signature dessert one day. But, on this visit, I just wanted something ice-​cold and refreshing … namely, boba.
I had just had a devastating experience with the milk tea that I got from Shirokiya the day before, but based on the photos from Unilocal,Bubble Puff & Tea seemed promising. In the end, I was so glad that I took a chance and got the milk tea from here. It wasn’t watery; it was flavorful and it definitely reminded me of some of my favorite tea places from So Cal.
The girl behind the counter was really helpful and friendly. Since there was no one else at the café during that time, my mom and I decided to enjoy our drinks in the shady interior.
Based on my positive experience at this café, I would return to Bubble Puff & Tea, no questions asked. Here’s what my mom and I ordered:
«Mocha»: Although the jalea (jelly) is popular here, I ordered my «Mocha» sans the jalea. I’ve tried coffee jelly before on the mainland, and I wasn’t the hugest fan, simply because I prefer a pure drink, uninterrupted with chewing boba or the coffee jelly. This drink consists of coffee, chocolate and non-​fat milk. I was extremely satisfied with my choice. I appreciated the sweet taste from the mocha, and there was even a chocolate drizzle within the drink. Great choice for a hot summer day and I would order this option again in a heartbeat. This was more of a smoothie than an actual milk tea (Taiwanese style), but because it was so delicious, it made me confident that the milk tea would taste just as I expect it to (not super watered down without any flavor).
«Plantation Iced Tea»: Because my mom doesn’t really like milk tea, she opted for the plantation iced tea. She said it was flavorful, sweet and refreshing, but she felt that it needed a little more sugar. Her favorite is still the one from Norstrom Café, but she said that this was perfectly fitting for a hot, humid afternoon and was glad that she tried it.
«Caramel Coffee»: This is another flavor that I would want to try one day, but without the jalea as well.
«Milk Tea»: Now that I’m reassured that the flavored milk tea from here is legit, I would want to try the original milk tea flavor (without any additional syrups) one day. Based on my experience with the «Coffee Mocha Milk Tea,» I’m sure I’ll love it.
«Mac Nut Bubble Puff»: Of all the bubble puff selections, this would probably be the first one I taste because it sounds really unique. It features real macadamia nuts baked right inside of the bubble puff, giving it a crunchy, Hawaiian twist. I would probably opt to top it with ice cream for some extra sweetness; plus, the creamy texture is sure to go well with the crunch from the macadamia nuts.
«Lava Cake»: This is another one of the sweet desserts featured at Bubble Puff & Tea. This gourmet chocolate dessert comes in regular and small sizes, with the option of adding ice cream at a slight cost. Knowing me, I would probably order the regular size and add the ice cream … you can’t have a gourmet chocolate dessert without ice cream!

This place has some of the best bubble tea on the island. SO ONO!!! In addition to the tasty beverages the customer service is on point. This place is a must visit of you are in the area and need a quick refreshment.

Tapioca is a little bit hard but the tea is really good. It’s not powdery. Very reasonable. Will come back here again.
タピオカが少し固いけどティーは美味しいです。こなっぽさもありません。お値段もリーズナブル。また来たいお店かな。

Sooooo good. I’m addicted to their almond milk bubble tea! They have loads of other sweet treats and jalea drinks. And free wifi!

Unexpectedly good!
I decided to try their milk tea jalea drink and I literally did not expect it to taste so good! It didn’t have that powdery milk tea taste that some boba places have and the jalea wasn’t too sweet or bitter. Next time I want to try their matcha jalea and egg puffs!
The only downside would be the parking! There’s literally no street parking available. Gotta pay for parking or luck out in finding a stall.

On my never-​ending quest for desserts and all things indulgent, there have been a handful of dishes and snacks that I have grown particularly fond of over the years. One of those things I’ve fallen in love with are egg puffs. For those of you unfamiliar, an egg puff is basically a light, airy waffle and a hugely popular street snack from Hong Kong. My problem was that for awhile I could’t find a place to get them. And although a trip to Hong Kong is definitely near the top of my wanderlust list, jet-​setting across the Pacific Ocean for egg puffs just isn’t practical. Thankfully, I came across Bubble Puff & Tea and my cravings shouted out, «Hallelujah!»
Bubble Puff & Tea is this really small, unassuming looking shop located in Kapahulu and pretty much across the street from Zippys for reference. The décor is kinda all over the place as cellphone accessories and other knickknacks are for sale and there’s small signs adorned throughout the store. But decentralized layout notwithstanding, what gets me to come back again and again is the menu. The star attraction obviously are the egg puffs, or bubble puffs as they’re called here. Each bubble puff is made to order and comes out hot and crispy. And adding to the satisfaction, you’re given the option to add any combination of topping to your heart’s desire; toppings include chocolate, condensed milk, powdered sugar, etc. And I’d be amiss to not mention portion size as each egg puff comes out nearly dinner plate sized. But there’s way more to Bubble Puff & Tea than just the bubble puffs. They also make quality teas and drinks. I’m an admitted milk tea addict, so anytime milk tea is available I’m pretty much instantly drawn to it. Aside from milk tea, you’re also able to get specialty drinks like watermelon juice and lemon drop tea. The watermelon juice can also come flavored with li hing mui for those like me that like that extra flavor profile kick. The only small suggestion I would love them to incorporate would be a choose your sweetness level option for the drinks. My personal preference is a little bit less sweet milk tea, so sometimes the drinks are just too sweet for my liking.
Prices are very reasonable and I always feel I get my entire money’s worth in terms of value, quality, and satisfaction. The workers are very friendly and hospitable, and they’re very accommodating to requests. They even deliver! If you’re in a rush, however, you might want to call ahead of time as everything is done made to order and it’s usually only worker there at a time, so you’ll most likely end up waiting otherwise.

VERY TASTY! And free toppings! The worker is super nice and she takes the time to make the bubble puffs perfect, no matter if it’s busy or not! And there is outside seating as well, under the shade.
Lots of options for drinks too! I didn’t try and this time around but def keeping this place bookmarked when I need a pick me upper:)
Parkinf is kind of funky but that’s because it is in kaimuki (but U can just park at zippys) go check it out!

Visited this place for the first time a couple of weeks ago to catch up with an old friend. There are only a couple of tables within the shop, at least one outside the shop. It’s very small, though it’s nice and cozy. The walls are decorated with phone cases and accessories, which is kind of cool.
I got the blended taro with bubbles, and the bubble puff — half condensed milk, half chocolate. The bubble puff is inexpensive, about $ 3.50 or so without tax, and decent for the price. One plus is that you don’t have to pay for extras like the chocolate syrup and condensed milk. You can also get cinnamon, but I don’t really know what else you can get. The taro bubble drink was pretty sweet, and the boba wasn’t the best I’ve had.
The cashier was a little rude. I asked her if they had oolong milk tea, and she basically scoffed at me because it wasn’t in the menu. Many cafes don’t have the entire menu up, and I just wanted to make sure.
Overall a pleasant experience, mostly because I was with good company. This hole-​in-​the-​wall shop is pretty cool, just bring friends along if you’re sitting inside or it’ll be kind of awkward. I will be coming back to show my sister, and to try their honey toast like dish.

I’m sorry, but I have to do this.
BUBBLE PUFF
BUBBLE BUBBLE BUBBLE PUFF
BUBBLE PUFF
BUBBLE BUBBLE BUBBLE PUFF
The bubble puff with mac nuts was delicious with condensed milk on it. I got a soy milk green tea jelea and it was good, but not as sweet as I was expecting. I also shouldn’t have gotten it immediately after eating a sandwich.
I wish I lived closer!

First time trying bubble puffs and it was so good and sweet! Literally filled up my sweet tooth cravings, so happy I found this place especially when it’s so close by my house!
LOCATION /​/​5 out of 5
Located right across Zippy’s parking, in a white building that has other little shops next to it. Love how it’s in a walking distance. Sadly, no parking :(
SERVICE /​/​5 out of 5
The woman helping us was so sweet and kind, helping us decide what to get. She even served us the desserts once it was ready.
DESSERTS /​/​5 out of 5
BUBBLE PUFFS (reg $ 3.50 /​/​macnut $ 4)
Ordered the MacNut Bubble Puffs with all of the variety of toppings and a scoop of ice cream (+$ 1) It was so delicious and cooked perfectly! RECOMMENDED!
COFFEE SMOOTHIE + BOBA $ 4
Not bad, tasted like coffee with a bit too much milk. It was good though and went well with the bubble puffs.
OVERALL /​/​5 out of 5
Love love love this place! I’ll definitely be coming here often especially since it’s so close by to where I live (yay for me!) I want to try their Dream Toast Ala Mode & Lava Cake Ala Mode (seasonal) next time!

BUBBLE PUFF!!!
There aren’t very many bubble puff (or egg puff, if you prefer) places on the island, but I think this place beats the one in Chinatown. A regular bubble puff is $ 3.50 and you can choice from an assortment of toppings (chocolate drizzle, coconut, powdered sugar, cinnamon). You can make it ala mode for an extra dollar. We got the bubble puff ala mode with chocolate and powdered sugar.
It came nice and warm. The ice cream complimented it nicely. I didn’t think anything special of it, but it was satisfying at the very least.
My sister ordered their milk tea jalea, which is milk tea with a solid chunk of jelly on the bottom of the cup. I’ve never heard of this before so I thought it was an interesting concept. I prefer my milk tea to have a strong tea flavor, and this captured that nicely.
I had a matcha green tea blended bubble tea, but I swear that it had a hint of honeydew in it (yuck, honeydew). I didn’t finish it.
I’m docking off stars because of the lack of parking and because I felt there was an element missing from the store. I’m not sure what. Maybe the little electronics shelf she had was throwing my mojo off. Why sell bluetooths and bubble puff in the same place?
I would come back here for the bubble puff and the milk tea. Maybe I’ll try the «dream toast» next time.

Tried bubble puff again at their food booth in cultural plaza during the Chinese New Year festivities. Is it just me or have they gotten sloppy in making them? I just took one piece to try because friends offered and I noticed the edges were burnt. Although the bubble puff was good, it’s nothing special.
Maybe the hype for me is dying down. I think I’m starting to like the drinks more. I have only had the coffee jalea during my first time here and it’s my favorite. The strawberry one was really sweet… maybe next time I’ll get something else.

Visited Bubble Puff + Tea on a whim after picking up a cake from Zippy’s for a friend’s birthday. When I first got to Bubble Puff + Tea, I was a bit skeptical because it was completely empty with the woman working there just sitting down, but once I got in, she was the friendliest person I’ve ever met! Very eager to talk story with her customers, and to also have them try things on their menu.
I ordered a black tea milk tea, but on the side, she let me try the Jasmine milk tea — it was simply amazing! Very light flavor, but very refreshing. The bubbles in my milk tea were perfect — chewy, not hard like some places you visit!
I will definitely come back to Bubble Puff + Tea to try their various desserts as I have heard great things about their honey toast!
The store also offers free wi-​fi for customers.

BUBBLE PUFF.
BUBBLE BUBBLE BUBBLE PUFF… & TEA
Turn around, Stick out, Show em what you got! BOOM Kanani, I got myself a draaaank. (non alcoholic of course)
I am in love with jelly drinks and this place has it. Similar to what you can find at La Palme Christian D’Or, Bubble puff has JALEA coffee drinks and MORE… La Palme’s will always have my heard because their’s is like crack but its more expensive and I hate going to ala moana just for it.
This little shop in Kapahulu is awesome. One lady show so if you’re in a pinch for time, she may be busy. But she’s really nice and friendly… They do not have parking, its basically street but its sure easier to find parking here than at ala moana…
What i love about this place is the drinks are cheap and they taste good. There are Jaleas of all kinds and specialty drinks that will have you staring at the menu for quite some time.
Best part is she has SQUARE so she accepts credit cards!
Give it shot, they are open from Tues — Sat 11 AM — 7 PM and their website says you can call and order curbside pick up which sounds like a great option! :)