ATMOSPHERE: The place looks immaculate everywhere. The main floor is very inviting and very clean. No weird smells or designs. Great atmospheric music to match the vibe. Bathroom was very clean and well-maintained.FOOD: All of the food looked great. I went for some seasoned fries for a snack, and a Royal 9 milk tea with half sugar (based on the worker's recommendation after asking me how sweet I like things). Fries were incredible. At worst, they bordered being over seasoned, but personally, I really enjoyed them. The boba milk tea was a fantastic treat as well. I think half sugar was a great call. Loved the balance of flavors. The worker there also told me the milk was dairy-free for those who care. Still tasted great.PRICE: Everything seemed reasonably priced, and I'm pretty picky about my spending and tend to be pretty frugal. Some stuff seemed like it could've been overpriced, but without knowing if the display foods were the actual portion size it's hard to tell.CUSTOMER SERVICE: I'm sorry to the guy who helped that I didn't get your name, but he was very patient and very helpful. He did not rush me, did not seem bored or annoyed while I seemed advice and recommendations, even asked me some questions to help me get something I would enjoy. It's people and service like that that really sticks with people and brings them back. I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels welcomed there.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Royal 9 Can
Andy Ng
The Alley is one of the best boba chains out there and I am incredibly jealous that ASU students in Tempe get to enjoy this right down the street. I had them in Vegas and they definitely satisfied the boba itch.Their menu offers a large variety of drinks including popular ones using ube or purple rice. You're also able to build your own drink such as a milk latte depending on what flavors you like, and the servers were able to make great recommendations on how to build and modify existing drinks.I went with an Assam Milk Tea Latte with Oat Milk with Boba, keeping it fairly simple. I also always order drinks with half ice and sugar levels. My drink was fantastic - not too sugary and I was able to taste the actual tea. I appreciate them having non-dairy milk options too for vegans and other plant-forward individuals. Note that a lot of their syrups (including their ube) aren't vegan friendly, and they were happy to check and recommend other drink combinations for me.We ended up staying here for a few hours since the vibe was pretty relaxed. Seeing many people doing their own work or just hanging out with friends is a good sign, and a testament of the vibe they go for at this spot.Vegetarian options: Non-dairy milk options are available
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bill W.
The parking situation got a lot better compared to opening day. The staff is really friendly and the drinks are great. 10/10
Andy N.
The Alley is one of the best boba chains out there and I am incredibly jealous that ASU students in Tempe get to enjoy this right down the street. I had them in Vegas and they definitely satisfied the boba itch. Their menu offers a large variety of drinks including popular ones using ube or purple rice. You're also able to build your own drink such as a milk latte depending on what flavors you like, and the servers were able to make great recommendations on how to build and modify existing drinks. I went with an Assam Milk Tea Latte with Oat Milk with Boba, keeping it fairly simple. I also always order drinks with half ice and sugar levels. My drink was fantastic - not too sugary and I was able to taste the actual tea. I appreciate them having non-dairy milk options too for vegans and other plant-forward individuals. Note that a lot of their syrups (including their ube) aren't vegan friendly, and they were happy to check and recommend other drink combinations for me. We ended up staying here for a few hours since the vibe was pretty relaxed. Seeing many people doing their own work or just hanging out with friends is a good sign, and a testament of the vibe they go for at this spot.
Betty J.
The crème brûlée drink is soooo good. I love the texture! Unfortunately im not able to finish the whole thing before it gets too sweet though. I wish the sweetness could be adjusted for this drink (they offer adjustment options for other drinks). I still find myself getting it every time i'm here though lol
Fann K.
Excellent tea drinks!! Must try! The unique flavors are yummy!! Boba is yummy too! Great spot!
Lance
Best boba in Tempe. Large diverse selection of drinks. Fast service and guest wifi. I recommend the #2!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ube Brown Sugar Deerioca Creme Brulee Milk
Scott L
Pretty good. There's a lot of competition for tea in the Phoenix metro. It doesn't particularly stand out. The one noticeable thing that I don't like is the strong smell inside. They have some type of diffuser running and it's extremely strong every time we've come. Choking level of scent. We try to sit outside and even then, if the door is open, we can smell it. Not pleasant for folks with allergies or asthma. I can understand wanting the place to smell nice, but they need to tone it down.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Herve B.
Very clean and good looking place. The drink were really good and customer service was very friendly and pleasant. We will come back.
Elsie M.
My friends and I have tried The Alley in other states and countries previously, so we were really excited to find out a location had opened in the Valley. We came in a little bit after lunch on a Thursday and they were not busy. We ordered a passionfruit green tea and two lychee green teas. The taste of the teas was good, not too sweet. However, one thing we noticed about our drinks was that the amount of toppings that were in them seemed less in comparison to what we were used to. We weren't really sure if it was because of the particular drinks we got (since we usually stuck to milk teas at other locations). Also, in one of our teas, there was a lot of syrup pooling down at the bottom. Not that big of a deal, nothing a little stirring couldn't fix. On the plus side, the service was friendly and fast since they weren't busy at the time. Really enjoyed that this location is quite spacious with lots of indoor and outdoor seating options. There's a lot of natural light filtering in from the windows which works quite nicely with the aesthetically pleasing environment.
Another amazing Taiwanese tea shop to add! Very similar to the Alley in Taiwan with adjustable ice and sugar levels!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ronnie An
Aesthetically
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ube Brown Sugar Deerioca Creme Brulee Milk
Kaylee A.
I really enjoy this place! I've been out of college now for a few years, but I'm glad this place wasn't here when I was in school because it would've been dangerous the drinks are pretty customizable which I appreciated. I like Boba but I really just like the brown sugar lol so I was able to get a little brown sugar syrup with the creamy pudding and the Matcha and it was the perfect amount of sweetness. It looks like they make most things by hand everything's very fresh! I really noticed the difference when coffee places use quality, Matcha and this is one of them. I guess that's why they kind of call it "craft" drinks because the whole drink just feels cleaner like more simple but still very very good and adjusting the sweetness with Less Boba was perfect.
Jonathan L.
Came in here on a Friday evening. Small amount of parking in the garage, but there's a parking lot across the street I think you can park at. Walking in this place is really clean and pleasant. Got some much playing not too loud - plenty of seating options ranging from bigger parties to bar seating to just a small chair section. Has room for any group. The cashier recommended the Lychee Yogurt Smoothie and I said why not. Let me tell you this drink was so good I almost wanted to ask who made this drink and how because it was so good. Very strong lychee flavor and had lychee at the bottom with a creamy yogurt taste like yakult in it. Tasted like a lychee danimals and great icy texture. Gf got the Sea Salt Pineapple tea which was good as well. Very strong clean tea flavor that was amazing. Wasn't the biggest fan of the assortment of jellies and seeds in this one but it added flavor and texture. I just wasn't a fan. It was her birthday and they actually let you get a free drink on your birthday with valid ID. But overall 2 drinks would have been about $14. Also the bathroom was super clean and this whole establishment I would have thought opened up last week the way it was so clean. I would come back purely for the lychee yogurt smoothie but it seems like there's much more to try that will be great. Highly recommend.
kassandra f.
my sister and i have been coming here since their soft opening and it is our new favorite spot. we come here at least once or twice a week!! we love their creme brulee drinks, it goes so well with their drinks. the customer service is very calm and helpful! being inside is also very nice, we could sit their for hours. i recommend the ube creme brulee!!
ATMOSPHERE: The place looks immaculate everywhere. The main floor is very inviting and very clean. No weird smells or designs. Great atmospheric music to match the vibe. Bathroom was very clean and well-maintained.FOOD: All of the food looked great. I went for some seasoned fries for a snack, and a Royal 9 milk tea with half sugar (based on the worker's recommendation after asking me how sweet I like things). Fries were incredible. At worst, they bordered being over seasoned, but personally, I really enjoyed them. The boba milk tea was a fantastic treat as well. I think half sugar was a great call. Loved the balance of flavors. The worker there also told me the milk was dairy-free for those who care. Still tasted great.PRICE: Everything seemed reasonably priced, and I'm pretty picky about my spending and tend to be pretty frugal. Some stuff seemed like it could've been overpriced, but without knowing if the display foods were the actual portion size it's hard to tell.CUSTOMER SERVICE: I'm sorry to the guy who helped that I didn't get your name, but he was very patient and very helpful. He did not rush me, did not seem bored or annoyed while I seemed advice and recommendations, even asked me some questions to help me get something I would enjoy. It's people and service like that that really sticks with people and brings them back. I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels welcomed there.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Royal 9 Can
The Alley is one of the best boba chains out there and I am incredibly jealous that ASU students in Tempe get to enjoy this right down the street. I had them in Vegas and they definitely satisfied the boba itch.Their menu offers a large variety of drinks including popular ones using ube or purple rice. You're also able to build your own drink such as a milk latte depending on what flavors you like, and the servers were able to make great recommendations on how to build and modify existing drinks.I went with an Assam Milk Tea Latte with Oat Milk with Boba, keeping it fairly simple. I also always order drinks with half ice and sugar levels. My drink was fantastic - not too sugary and I was able to taste the actual tea. I appreciate them having non-dairy milk options too for vegans and other plant-forward individuals. Note that a lot of their syrups (including their ube) aren't vegan friendly, and they were happy to check and recommend other drink combinations for me.We ended up staying here for a few hours since the vibe was pretty relaxed. Seeing many people doing their own work or just hanging out with friends is a good sign, and a testament of the vibe they go for at this spot.Vegetarian options: Non-dairy milk options are available
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The parking situation got a lot better compared to opening day. The staff is really friendly and the drinks are great. 10/10
The Alley is one of the best boba chains out there and I am incredibly jealous that ASU students in Tempe get to enjoy this right down the street. I had them in Vegas and they definitely satisfied the boba itch. Their menu offers a large variety of drinks including popular ones using ube or purple rice. You're also able to build your own drink such as a milk latte depending on what flavors you like, and the servers were able to make great recommendations on how to build and modify existing drinks. I went with an Assam Milk Tea Latte with Oat Milk with Boba, keeping it fairly simple. I also always order drinks with half ice and sugar levels. My drink was fantastic - not too sugary and I was able to taste the actual tea. I appreciate them having non-dairy milk options too for vegans and other plant-forward individuals. Note that a lot of their syrups (including their ube) aren't vegan friendly, and they were happy to check and recommend other drink combinations for me. We ended up staying here for a few hours since the vibe was pretty relaxed. Seeing many people doing their own work or just hanging out with friends is a good sign, and a testament of the vibe they go for at this spot.
The crème brûlée drink is soooo good. I love the texture! Unfortunately im not able to finish the whole thing before it gets too sweet though. I wish the sweetness could be adjusted for this drink (they offer adjustment options for other drinks). I still find myself getting it every time i'm here though lol
Excellent tea drinks!! Must try! The unique flavors are yummy!! Boba is yummy too! Great spot!
Best boba in Tempe. Large diverse selection of drinks. Fast service and guest wifi. I recommend the #2!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ube Brown Sugar Deerioca Creme Brulee Milk
Pretty good. There's a lot of competition for tea in the Phoenix metro. It doesn't particularly stand out. The one noticeable thing that I don't like is the strong smell inside. They have some type of diffuser running and it's extremely strong every time we've come. Choking level of scent. We try to sit outside and even then, if the door is open, we can smell it. Not pleasant for folks with allergies or asthma. I can understand wanting the place to smell nice, but they need to tone it down.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very clean and good looking place. The drink were really good and customer service was very friendly and pleasant. We will come back.
My friends and I have tried The Alley in other states and countries previously, so we were really excited to find out a location had opened in the Valley. We came in a little bit after lunch on a Thursday and they were not busy. We ordered a passionfruit green tea and two lychee green teas. The taste of the teas was good, not too sweet. However, one thing we noticed about our drinks was that the amount of toppings that were in them seemed less in comparison to what we were used to. We weren't really sure if it was because of the particular drinks we got (since we usually stuck to milk teas at other locations). Also, in one of our teas, there was a lot of syrup pooling down at the bottom. Not that big of a deal, nothing a little stirring couldn't fix. On the plus side, the service was friendly and fast since they weren't busy at the time. Really enjoyed that this location is quite spacious with lots of indoor and outdoor seating options. There's a lot of natural light filtering in from the windows which works quite nicely with the aesthetically pleasing environment.
Restaurantji Recommends
Another amazing Taiwanese tea shop to add! Very similar to the Alley in Taiwan with adjustable ice and sugar levels!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aesthetically
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ube Brown Sugar Deerioca Creme Brulee Milk
I really enjoy this place! I've been out of college now for a few years, but I'm glad this place wasn't here when I was in school because it would've been dangerous the drinks are pretty customizable which I appreciated. I like Boba but I really just like the brown sugar lol so I was able to get a little brown sugar syrup with the creamy pudding and the Matcha and it was the perfect amount of sweetness. It looks like they make most things by hand everything's very fresh! I really noticed the difference when coffee places use quality, Matcha and this is one of them. I guess that's why they kind of call it "craft" drinks because the whole drink just feels cleaner like more simple but still very very good and adjusting the sweetness with Less Boba was perfect.
Came in here on a Friday evening. Small amount of parking in the garage, but there's a parking lot across the street I think you can park at. Walking in this place is really clean and pleasant. Got some much playing not too loud - plenty of seating options ranging from bigger parties to bar seating to just a small chair section. Has room for any group. The cashier recommended the Lychee Yogurt Smoothie and I said why not. Let me tell you this drink was so good I almost wanted to ask who made this drink and how because it was so good. Very strong lychee flavor and had lychee at the bottom with a creamy yogurt taste like yakult in it. Tasted like a lychee danimals and great icy texture. Gf got the Sea Salt Pineapple tea which was good as well. Very strong clean tea flavor that was amazing. Wasn't the biggest fan of the assortment of jellies and seeds in this one but it added flavor and texture. I just wasn't a fan. It was her birthday and they actually let you get a free drink on your birthday with valid ID. But overall 2 drinks would have been about $14. Also the bathroom was super clean and this whole establishment I would have thought opened up last week the way it was so clean. I would come back purely for the lychee yogurt smoothie but it seems like there's much more to try that will be great. Highly recommend.
my sister and i have been coming here since their soft opening and it is our new favorite spot. we come here at least once or twice a week!! we love their creme brulee drinks, it goes so well with their drinks. the customer service is very calm and helpful! being inside is also very nice, we could sit their for hours. i recommend the ube creme brulee!!