HaiCha
12 Harkness Ave, Pasadena, CA
Crema's Take
“This beloved Pasadena tea shop is a masterclass in hospitality, where owner Tommy greets you with genuine warmth and expert recommendations that transform indecision into discovery. Beyond the stellar traditional milk teas and creative seasonal drinks like the Mango Grapefruit, it's the unhurried, family-friendly atmosphere that keeps people coming back—the kind of place where you might find the owner holding the door open on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The jasmine tea and house-signature Hai Cha milk tea are standouts, crafted with the same care that makes every visit feel like a conversation with someone who actually cares about your experience.”
What to expect
Google Reviews
100/10 recommend! What a friendly experience coming in and being immediately greeted! I got the Mango Grapefruit tea and wow was it fresh and flavorful. He has so many great recommendations and can tailor to your preference and taste. I also bought a bag of the black sesame crunch which is home made and tasty! You can’t get this type of flavor in the regular store bought kind. Additionally, I got the fish balls and loved them. They’re perfectly tender and made to order. Come support your local small businesses!
Loved the taro smoothie—the tall, elegant style felt so fancy and fun. My kid loved it too, and it tasted amazing. The jasmine tea was especially good—so authentic and comforting. The owner was really friendly, and I enjoyed greeting everyone there. I also loved the music—soft background sounds, the waterfall, everything felt so soothing and refreshing. It truly made for a wonderful afternoon.
This is a super cozy tea shop with the friendliest owner. I was unsure what I wanted and he gave me a few recommendations. I got the Hai Cha milk tea and the Hai Cha fish balls. Everything is made to order with the freshest ingredients and it is quality you can taste. The Hai Cha milk tea has great flavor and is not too sweet! He is SO generous with the amount of brown sugar boba pearls, which also aren't as sweet as most other boba places! The fish balls were made hot and fresh, they were perfectly tender and still warm when I got home from running errands 30 minutes later. It has this juicy meat filling and an abundance of flavor. Mine were drizzled with a seafood sauce, and he made sure to ask if I wanted the chili sauce so he could make it to my liking. I also got a bag of black sesame crunchies (which contain peanuts) and they are just the right amount of sweet with a nice crunch and a strong black sesame flavor. I will definitely be back again!
Tommy is genuinely one of the nicest people I’ve met at a tea shop. It was a slow Sunday afternoon, and as we parked out front, he actually came over and held the door open for us. He took our orders on the screen, walked us through the drink options, and was just overall incredibly friendly without being pushy. The drinks themselves were fresh and solid, but honestly, the standout was Tommy. That level of friendliness is rare these days, and it instantly explains why this place has so many five-star reviews. Even if you’re just passing through, the service alone makes the stop worth it.
We tried HaiCha for the first time yesterday and boy, the tea was spot-on amazing with first-class service from Tommy, the owner). My wife ordered the Okinawa milk tea w/ boba (25% sweet), Hokkaido milk tea (50%), Hot Coffee w/ boba, and Haicha Fish balls (i.e. Fuzhou fish ball with meat inside). The sweetness recommendation for the Okinawa MT was perfect for my wife. I don't usually add boba to my drink but Tommy convinced me that Coffee + boba tastes amazing. He wasn't kidding - it was WOW! Also, the boba was made perfectly and wasn't on super sweet side like some other places. In chatting with Tommy, he uses high-quality, fresh ingredients as well as food all made-to-order. Tasting the items we ordered certainly validated that. In addition, we got a car phone holder as a first-time customer - thanks Tommy! If you ever been to Taiwan tea places, HaiCha feels exactly like that - relaxing ambiance (great for focus work or studying), delicious drink options, and super-friendly and attentive service from Tommy. We will be back again when passing through. Highly recommend it!
Crema Reviews
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