Boba Bear

Dopest hookah spot I’ve been to not even accounting for the boba which is great too. Tiffany was our server and she was playing straight bangers the entire time. ¹¹⁄₁₀ best spot in town.

Not a fan of Hookah lounges but this spot is on point for their Boba! Several varieties and they have daily specials. They can make your boba custom as well. Not too sweet ect. I had the honeydew slush with boba and it wasn’t too sweet and was perfect for this hot weather we’ve been having. I’ll be back for the strawberry milk tea! Great customer service too! I had to wait outside because my son was with me and some people were smoking hookah inside and the server brought my drink outside, no questions asked. I appreciated that!

Horrible service. don’t recommend this place at all. The seats are extremely uncomfortable!!!

Best hookah bar I’ve been to! Colin and Sarah (I’m horrible with names so I hope I got that right!) were incredibly helpful! Boba was great, bathrooms were clean and couches were comfy! The ambiance was incredible as well; not too dark, but they still had awesome lights under the hookah. Loved the music they were playing as well.
Overall, great experience! I’ll definitely come back next time I find myself in LA!

Best. Damn. Boba Bear. Ever.
I’m a long way from home, just to visit this Boba Bear shop in LA. Greeted by the two nicest dudes and they were both eager to point out their new mixed flavor. Bomb. We tried the mixed peach one (forgot the exact name).
Atmosphere is chill, not as many sofa couches as the Rowland Heights location. Boba was delicious. Music was on point. And the hookah hit was bomb. Good smoke production, flavor came through with notes of fruity-​ness and a hint of mint. Kinda like you’re drinking an iced peach green tea
I say add more couches to lounge and you got yourself the perfect hookah sesh.
This LA location and the Rowland Heights one are top notch. Stay away from the El Monte Boba Bear!
I’m definitely visiting again when I’m in the LA area. Thanks guys for the warm service and the knowledge of your new shisha mixes!

The coffee at this place is great. The coffee shop is clean and friendly staff.
The pastry is delicious and freshly backed.

I came here on a weeknight to catch up with a friend. I expected a young crowd, but I didn’t expect such young employees. We had an employee who barely came around to check up on us. The place was pretty empty, yet we only saw him three times. It took so long for him to prepare the hookah, get us our drinks, and get us napkins and the menu. On top of that he kept taking the menu back so I just gave up trying to order more. Why would you take back the menu when the place is empty and you obviously don’t need it? Two stars because my drink was decent.

Great hookah and very nice attentive staff! The dessert is amazing and looks delicious!

I prefer the west side Boba Bear over the Koreatown one any day. There’s plenty of parking, the place isn’t too crowded, and the hookah is great! Very clean, and I think the drinks are better as well. The only thing for me is that the servers are quite young and inexperienced, so they’re not the most intuitive. They’re nice though, which is good. I was reading some of the previous Unilocal reviews before going to this place, and I find it hilarious that someone mentioned them playing «Spy Kids» during the day. Too funny.

Cindy and Lacinder (the manager) make great boba drinks. I recommend asking them to blend it well so it is not too icy. My favorites are the Strawberry Cheesecake, Taro, and T’Oreo. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m reviewing this as a boba place, and not so much as a hooka place.
This is a great place to stop by and pick up boba. It’s also a hooka lounge. The decoration is modern and really cool — with a spacey lounge feel to it — as it has glowing rocketship hookas and sofas to relax on.
The best time to come here is right after they make their boba. It tastes a lot more fresh — and can get hard/​tough if they made it a while ago.
The only issues I have here are the music and the price. The boba is a little too expensive, and considering that most of the people who come here are students, they should be more reasonable about that (or give a student discount). As for the music, they play music that people will either be really into or just absolutely hate. It’s not good background music to enhance the environment while you are hanging out with people. They play the type of pop radio music you can hear on the radio which is probably really popular with the younger crowd (lots of college and high school students here) but I think they would still draw that crowd plus a lot more people in their twenties if they played certain other genres. I hate having to listen to Rihanna’s «work, work, work, work, work.» It would be great if they played electro chill or lounge music. Not just because that’s what I would prefer to hear, but also because it would better fit the theme of this place and because those would cater to a wider crowd. I think everyone would enjoy smoking hooka or drinking boba to some chill lounge music. Every time I come here I’m turned off by the music, and I sometimes even see people listening to their own music on their headphones — which I think is kind of weird.
Despite these issues, I’m still giving it five stars because the customer service is outstanding, the drinks are really great, and I come here to buy boba and not to sit, smoke hooka, and listen to the music (again, my review is for the boba and not the hooka).

The hookah was not as strong as the ones I’m used to. This was a huge disappointment but maybe I came on an offnight. May give this spot another shot.

A lot of boba/​hookah/​anywhere places are rated just on the food or décor or whatnot. And don’t get me wrong: The décor and boba are great here.
But it’s the customer service that makes this place a great place to go and turns me into a repeat customer, coming back with friends over and over and over.
I’m usually here for a few hours each time that I go to Boba Bear, so I’ve had the chance to interact with the staff as well as get to observe how they interact with other customers, whether they’re staying there for a few hours or whether they’re just ordering something To Go.
And let me tell you, Lakinda is amazing manager. I’ve seen her at different hours of the day. She’s always smiling and always having these great ideas on how to make Boba Bear better. It’s really nice to go into any business where you have a cheerful and enthusiastic manager! Not only her, but I’ve also had the privilege of getting more familiar with other staff, like Justin and Jonathan, who I’ve gotten to know, as a repeat customer. It’s always good to hear about the new ideas and recipes/​blends that they’ve come up with and I’ve yet to be disappointed in any way, whether it be from the drinks that they make or the service that they show as they come around and always asking if you need anything or if you’re okay.
I haven’t tried the new menu options (they have sandwiches now!), but I’ve never had a bad boba or smoothie at Boba Bear (they serve it in this amazing glass mason jar for most cold drinks in a Small Size).
They also have several board games/​card games that you can play with your friends, and trust me, I’ve gone with a group of friends and sometimes we’ve been there for several hours, playing with the games that they provide and enjoying our order and the ambience there!
So, if you want to hang somewhere and go somewhere with a great and cheerful staff, come on down to Boba Bear. I mean, it’s why I’ve gone back over and over and over and over again… ;)

Yassss, bomb. commm
The drinks are on point. I love the little cups, super cute.
The employees are really nice too. Ask for Justin when you go he’s really sweet and awesome!
Love itttt.

I accidentally stumbled into Boba Bear hoping for a study spot and instead found myself at a hybrid hookah-​boba café. For objectivity sake, I gave this place 4*. If I were a hookah smoker, I’d definitely go again.
This place has a chill vibe with a potpourri of hip hop jams, perfect for a fun group hang-​out. Board games are provided by the house for your entertainment and couch-​style seating are definitely a plus. For those who come to also get a little work done (*ahem* nerds like myself), there are plenty of plugs.
When reviewing boba joints, I always start with the basics– classic pearl milk tea. Well-​brewed, in a cute mason jar. I do have to say, the small is a little small but the price is fair for what you get. Either way, would definitely hit this spot up again to try some of their menu items.

I actually came here not as a customer (at first). I was sent to do some repairs on their hand sink. But when I was finished, it was my break time and I figured I try something. Lakinda was very nice, friendly, and all around pleasure to have as a server. She recommended her favorite drink, a strawberry/​orange shake sorta thing with Gummi bears in the bottom (very original), and it was delicious.
I normally don’t bother doing reviews, especially for businesses I did repairs on, but this place is great service-​wise and their drinks are amazing. Anytime I’m around Santa Monica, I will definitely make an effort to come back here.

Came to this location with a couple homies for some Friday afternoon hookah. Got the melon flavor — would definitely recommend, as it was sweet and smooth but not too sweet! Drinks were good as well, but we’re a little sweet for my taste so next time I’ll probably ask for a little less sweetness. Our host, Aaliyah, was DOPE! Helped us out adjusting our hookah throughout our smoke session, enabling us to smoke the shisha to its fullest extent. Also, probably the nicest host I’ve met!
Overall great experience will definitely be back in no time!

I’ve lived about 3 blocks down from this location for over a year now. When I first went last year, it seemed like a pretty okay place. The hookah was alright and the ambiance wasn’t all that bad. I just started going again recently and this place has had some pretty significant upgrades. The furniture, the hookahs, and food options all changed for the better. There’s also a bunch of board games available. The staff is always helpful and attentive. Justin and Tiff always make sure the hookah is pulling well. This place is great if you’re into hookah and want to chill with your friends for a while. I love the music, most hookah places don’t really play Hip-​Hop/​Rap. Personally I go fairly often to also sit and read something or get some work done.
Note: There is a 1 drink per person rule after 7 PM, but… not really a big deal.
tl;dr: If you’re into hookah and want to chill, this place won’t disappoint.

We came here on a Friday night around 9:45 and it was almost full. Lots of people, great vibe, music, LED lights. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the staff and they explained the process to us and got us a seat. The whole place is very clean with a modern look. One reviewer said it looked unfinished but I would disagree. The art on the walls is minimalist and adds to the ambiance.
We went with the basic melon and it was very good. We like to play games when we have a hookah and we forgot our stuff at home. Thankfully, they had a little station with some games you could borrow and a glass table we could play on.
We ordered quickly and it came out very fast. We got a couple drinks with the tapioca balls in them and we both liked it.
Our coals got refilled regularly and we were asked a number of times if we were doing alright or if we needed anything. Once we realized we had to head home to relieve the babysitter, check out only took a couple minutes and we were on our way.
We’ll definitely come back and might try some of the extras like a pineapple bowl!

I don’t hookah, but my bf likes to. I do, however, LOVE boba, so this was the perfect compromise.
I had the almond milk tea, which was pretty tasty. My bf and our friends shared a hookah, and there were a few times they had issues with it being too harsh, but the workers effectively helped us fix the hookah. I’m not sure about the complaints about service, because we were there on a busy Saturday night about 2 weeks ago and we received pretty stellar service. Everyone was really nice and helpful.
+ They have an underground parking lot you can park in FOR FREE which is almost unheard of in LA.
+ Open late… til like 4am on the weekends?
+ Great service
+ Good drinks, reasonable prices
We need a place like this in Orange County!

Stopped in to catch up with some friends in the area. The boba was great. The Romeo and Juliet brick toast was amazing, cant go wrong with nutella, white bread and ice cream! As far as the hookah, Tiff recommended the Tangiers cane mint hookah which was on point (usually recommended for advanced smokers… not sure if being an advanced smoker is a good thing hah.) Our service was great, recommendations were spot on, overall great experience. Thanks again Tiff!

I had a great time at Boba Bear. I usually go to a different hookah lounge but decided to go to BobaBear because my friends wanted to go and had an amazing time. Jason was very helpful and gave us great customer service. They have a great vibe and a very fun place to hang out with some friends while smoking hookah and some boba.

It’s a pretty dope low key spot with parking! Very hard to find now days but this place has it. Not too crowded just right amount of people quick service. Really dope! Try the brick toast dessert it’s awesome. Jason was awesome and very helpful!

A+ staff and service (looking at you Cindy and lakinda)
I enjoy the boba and the hookah and the hip hop, ipso facto this is my default hookah establishment.

I love Boba Bear its now a favorite place to be because of its great hookah, comfy but so modernly chic setup, and its amazing vibe. I find myself super excited whenever i plan to be there again :) i recommend this place for everyone who wants to have a good time

Awesome service and great beverages. Hookahs are on point and they’re always attentive with the coals and needs. I’d definitely recommend going here if you’re trying to go to a chill spot with some good boba. Employees are friendly and the setting of the venue is laid back. Definitely one of my favorite hookah spots and the boba is a definite plus. Good stuff!
Shout out to TJ, Lakinda, Tiff and the whole squad.

In the area and have some time? Why not stop by boba bear for a delicious drink or dessert for your sweet tooth. The staff here are very friendly and knowledgeable. Aside from boba, they also serve hookah!
The lounge area is spacious for kicking it with buddies whenever. Hookah after the bars is especially fire; pretty much the best thing since grilled cheese.
Service is good because the staff is not always pushing me to get drinks or a refill on hookah. If you need something, don’t hesitate to ask. In my experience they have always gotten my order correct.
The quality of their hookah is also on point. It takes quality time to produce epic cloud hitting hookahs so I don’t mind waiting for it.
The atmosphere is really chill as they play all the best songs/​music. No elevator music here. There’s enough room for a dance floor if you’re feeling it haha.

Hookah was decent, milk tea was good, service was slow but the guys were nice. Strictly a 25 and under crowd. Not a sophisticated place, but low key. As long as you aren’t expecting amazing things for the small price, you’ll be satisfied.

Terrible. I wish I could rate negative stars. I figured this was a cool boba spot really close to my house, and if it was good I was planning on becoming a regular here … they opened at 1pm … showed up at 2:30 to order boba, and they told me the boba wasn’t ready, and they didn’t know when it would even be ready … AN HOUR AN A HALF after they opened! Why open and not have your main product ready? And not even give an estimate time when it would be ready? I won’t be returning. They should rename themselves hooka bear, since that’s all this place seems to care about. Who opens and doesn’t have their boba ready …

Bomb hookah and service. Music is good too! Tried rose and mint. One drink minimum per person. Ample parking! This is cooler than the one in Ktown.

First and last time here. Horrible customer service. Never came to change the coals. It took about 30+ minutes for them to pack a bowl! Our second order took so long, we decided to cancel it. The supervisor came to our table to argue that ‘the bowl is now ready’ and they needed to charge us for it. Still NO BOWL at our table. After the argument, it took 10+ minutes for the bowl to come –_​– hmm, but it was ready? Won’t be coming back.

Worst experience I’ve ever had in service!
My friends and I wanted to have a good night out… So we came all the way from the San Fernando Valley to get the boba and hookah experience.
The coals were never refilled and we were never checked on. We didn’t mind because we were having a good time between us all, so we just went up to ask every time we needed it.
But the worst part comes when we asked for refills.
We ordered a straight mint refill… Then we ordered a fumari flavored refill…
After 25+ minutes of waiting the fumari flavored refill finally arrived so we were able to smoke that and get a few rounds of games done, but the mint one never showed up. By then, we were tired because it had been over 30+ minutes of waiting for that one… So our solution was simple; cancel right? Let’s stay logical, we didn’t cancel after 5 minutes, it was 30+ minutes and the first one we ordered, not the second one. Approximately 5 – 10 minutes later, one of the employees came up to our table to tell us the mint one was ready and if we still wanted to cancel. Of course we wanted to cancel, as we’ve been waiting an absurd amount of time for just two refills and we were just ready to leave soon by then.
One of the workers then approached us and told us although we didn’t smoke it, we have to pay for it. At this point I’m appalled. So he asked if we wanted to talk to the supervisor, we said yes.
So the supervisor comes out and says the message was never relayed to him. So, we do have to pay for the refill.
Why would I have to pay for something I never saw? Why would I have to pay for something that took well over 30 minutes to come to my table?
In customer service, communication is key (or hand writing orders may help to help you not forget about the order)
But at the end of the day customer service is key. If you’re in the wrong, you take responsibility in understanding why your customer is frustrated and you do your due diligence to keep your customers happy and not argue with them.
In business, (and that’s the major I graduated in) I’d rather lose less than 10 dollars than to lose possible returning happy customers that may recommend others to come and return for more experiences. (So, more profit$$$) (free marketing, word of mouth)
I’ve been to many hookah lounges. We’re hookah fiends. So I understand the timing and everything.
I’ll tell you one thing, I’ll spend 25+ a day and save gas at the hookah lounges I go to in the valley.
Never ever come here.
I don’t ever complain, I’m very patient with the people that work in service because I’ve worked in the service industry for five years, but this experience was beyond unreasonable.

Worst experience ever, asking for a large boba tea with No ice, end up getting only ²⁄₃ portion of the large size

This place is the go-​to after bars for my roommate and I. They’re open till 4!
We basically go here every weekend. Typically both Friday and Saturday. We can’t help it! The bars close so early around here.
The employees are so friendly and nice. Plus, the boba is delicious.

I came here because it was the closest boba shop after lunch. Turns out its mostly a hookah lounge. This review is for the boba quality. The boba is very very chewy, it felt like I was eating gum instead. I was also disappointed that the tea is all premade with the sugar levels already set. I typically enjoy mine non-​sweetened. The cashier was nice enough to water it down a little, but it was still very sweet.
Décor of the place looks very unfinished, almost like the owners ran out of budget and stopped building. There were a lot of hookah stations set up throughout, so I am sure that’s a better reason to go here. If it’s just from boba though, definitely skip it. There are better places not too far away.

Stopped by on a Saturday night and was pleasantly surprised with how this turned out.
The only negative: Ambiance needs some work– music wasn’t loud enough, too bright inside and would’ve preferred a traditional, dim environment.
Bathroom toilet didn’t flush but the nice guy that works here fixed the problem as soon as I asked about it.
Prices are not bad at all– only «minimum» is that you are required to buy a boba drink (which I have never had in my life lol). Not too shabby– had an original milk tea and it was pretty good and about $ 4. The blue mist hookah was 15−17ish and was on point.
Will definitely be visiting again!

Really cute hookah bar with games and fun drinks. There are a ton of fruit/​tea drink combinations to pick from and a drink minimum on Saturday nights. I love that they bring over a sampler of the different tobacco flavors to help narrow down the choices.

HIDDEN GEM!
I came from out of town so I was very very impressed with this joint.
Here’s my breakdown:
Service: great!
Hookah: Fantastic. Smooth & hits for a while.
Drinks: Pretty good!
This is the only place I know of that has brought hookah and boba together, which is almost as clever as the guy who brought peanut-​butter and jelly together.

Normally I go to the Boba Bear in KTown but being on the west side already, I decided to stop by with a friend.
We stopped by around 5 and we were the only party but the worker, Heather, was super awesome in greeting us and taking care of us. She was the only one working but man she’s on top of things. She got us waters while we waited for our drinks which came out soon after. She made sure we were happy with our drinks, asking us if my favorite drink (The D but no balls please) was too thick but it was on point. My friend ordered the iced coffee but she warned him ahead of time that it might be strong and that he might want it sweetened and brought him a sample ahead of time.
Even when we were having our hookah session, she would make sure it’s not harsh and adjust the coals and bring out new ones for us. She even asked us if we preferred our hookah hitting a little harsher/​milkier or if we wanted it to be more on the smooth side. Even though the KTown location is where my heart used to be, I never received service like this at that location.
I’d definitely stop by this Boba Bear any time I’m on the west side. There’s even free parking which is unheard of.

I love boba but man… I think I’m spoiled growing up in the 626 which is like theee «boba town» central!
I stumbled upon this place based on convenience because I was nearby a client’s office and ordered the taro milk tea with boba to go. It was terrible. The drink tasted like powder. Despite the drink, I do like the friendly staff though… it’s just unfortunate that they could use a little work on making better drinks.
Definitely not coming back…