- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Ambrosia Cafe
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Food Juice Bars & Smoothies Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies [Edit]
619 S King St(between S 6th Ave & S Maynard Ave)
Seattle, WA 98104
Neighbourhood: International District
(206) 623-9028
Announcement
Fresh Mango and fresh Strawberry are back!Come try our fresh fruit smoothies.
Also available: Avocado, water melon, Honeydew, pineapple,taro
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 8 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 9 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
103 reviews for Ambrosia Cafe
Review Highlights
-
"The bubble tea was so yummy and cheap." In 56 reviews -
"Their Taro milk tea is the best I've ever tasted." In 14 reviews -
"They use fresh avocado and make their tapioca daily." In 42 reviews
Loading...
103 reviews in English
-
Review from Ben C.
1/20/2012 18 Check-ins Here
Quite a few places in the International District for you to get Bubble Tea at. The spot that stands out the most for us is Ambrosia. It doesn't have a ton of seating but their drinks are delicious. They have a great selection of drinks and toppings. Compared to some of the other places you don't get that powdery taste. Price is about the same everywhere you go, but if you want some good drinks I'd pay a visit to Ambrosia.
My usual:
Mango Slushy with Aloe Vera Pieces
My Gfs usual:
Regular Milk Tea with Pudding and Tapioca
Definitely try out their different toppings, oh so good =). -
Review from Tan Lo S.
5/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I never go to this place for solely one reason: their bubble tea sucks! It tastes like I'm drinking milk tea + incense!!!!!! Smh.
I came here a few days ago to try their fresh fruit (like a slush). I had the fresh watermelon which was delicious because it was fresh & it was blended so wonderfully. I added lychee jelly which made it 10x better. However, i was disappointed because there were some read chunks... I thought it was ice, but it was really hard and golden yellow. Very tiny tiny chunks. I kept having to spit it out. That made me not enjoy it very much...
otherwise, the drink was 4/5.
The only issue I have is their milk tea. I tried the honey dew milk tea and at first, it tasted like a regular milk tea. Then later I tried it again & it tasted like incense. I wanted to throw up. I don't know what they blend with it, but I don't like it.
I prefer Oasis, Wow, or Gossip. Sorrry! -
Review from Joolie T.
4/20/2012
back in high school- my friends and i used to come here to get boba tea. i don't know, maybe i've had thousands of them since then... but, i just don't like Amborsia anymore! i asked for warm Taro Milk Tea with Boba and they couldn't even get it right. it was luke warm and the bubbles were hard and too chewy.
i'm over it. -
Review from Lolia S.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2012 2 photos
The drink menu is lengthy and includes green tea, black tea, milk tea in various flavors (fruit flavors, honey, yogurt) including very Asian flavors like durian, black sesame, and lychee. You can add tapioca pearls and various jellies to your drink (but they didn't have grass jelly). They also have fresh fruit smoothies and espresso drinks. I didn't see many snacks - they only seemed to have toast.
Tapioca drinks are sealed in plastic and you grab your own straw.
* Black milk tea ($3) http://www.yelp.com/bi...: the price was listed as $2.25 on the menu, pearls are extra. They seem to have only one size (massive/ the size of Venti at Starbucks). The tapioca pearls were fresh, firm, and chewy. I don't like the balls to be too sweet but theirs could be sweetened more and also cooked a little longer. They were bland. The tea part was fine - not too sweet, mellow, creamy, with tea flavor and no bitterness. The drink didn't have too much ice but was still cold.
The café feels like you'd expect, a hangout for young Asians. They have little cutesy hanging plush toys for sale.
It seems like you can only get giant tapioca drinks in Seattle. Pochi had them too (and no smaller size). Same with Gossip, Yunnie, Wow, Bobachine, and Oasis.
Cash only.Listed in: Space Needle City, Asian dessert shops
-
Review from Melissa N.
Seattle, WA
3/9/2012 3 Check-ins Here
it is a hit or miss here.
Sometimes the bubble tea is good and sometime it isn't.
I usually just get warm jasmine milk tea with boba. Sometimes it is just lukewarm and then sometimes it is too hot. Never just right.
Don't have much to say about this place as you can see lol -
Review from ChiBi L.
Seattle, WA
5/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have been here twice and I really love it. It's cheaper and more delicious than other place. I love the jasmine green tea, it tastes so good.
-
Review from Trinh L.
Puyallup, WA
After hearing a few friends of mine rave about this bubble tea joint, I decided to drop by after an interview nearby. Unfortunately, there was a blackout so our drinks weren't able to be sealed, which means I would have to walk in the pouring rain holding an ice cold beverage with rain drops splattering inside. However, I kept seeing large groups of people coming inside so figured it must be really good. As usual, I ordered the jasmine milk tea with angel jelly, which was like clear citrus jelly which complimented my drink really well. Absolutely loved this place! Too bad it's so far from my home & parking in china town sorta sucks. I'd definitely make more visits in the future whenever im nearby.
-
Review from Howard C.
Seattle, WA
3/22/2012 8 Check-ins Here
Hands down the best milk tea in Seattle.
-
Review from Mandy S.
is it bubble or boba tea? Their tapioca here is super good! I don't drink bubble tea much but since this is the best bubble tea place in I.D., i had to try it. They make hot milk tea here and the boba stays chewy!
I wish they had matcha japanese green tea milk tea/smoothie though. -
Review from Lisa P.
8/1/2011
No place beats Ambrosia's milk tea~ I like mine just plain without any tapioca. It is full of flavor and you can definitely taste the tea when you take a sip!
I've tried Oasis and Gossip and they are very sugary and full of powdery substances that masks or alters the flavor of milk tea, which usually comes with a bad aftertaste.
I like how they have different options rather than tapioca, like green grass jelly, rainbow jelly, and lychee jelly. They also have red bean if you like something sweet and healthy.
Ambrosia also make fresh fruit smoothies (i.e. avocado, mango, strawberry) and shaved ice drinks for the summer, and hot milk tea for the cold seasons. My friend usually orders their hot taro tea and says it's better than most places.
Though this place is laid back, the service is always quick. The bubble tea: even better!
One sip and you'll be hooked!
Note of advice: this place is CASH only. -
Review from Jenny L.
7/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
This used to be my favorite place to get bubble tea...until I moved to Cali. There's a gazillion different choices over there! In Seattle, you pretty much have 3 choices for bubble tea places if you are in Chinatown.
Ambrosia is definitely the best out of the three, but not quite up to par when compared with the ones in Cali.
They finally have egg pudding as a 'topping'. I tried that in my milk tea today, but the egg pudding was a little too sweet and not quite 'jello-y' enough for my liking. It pretty much melted into my cold milk tea.
I'd come back and try the Taiwanese shaved ice. If it's good, maybe I'll give this place another star. :) -
Review from Suie C.
5/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
BEST boba in the ID district. More authentic than most places too.
Tapioca rocks, their regular milk tea is killer, which is the true test of a good boba place.
They use fresh fruit in their shakes, service is efficient, and prices are cheap. There may be a short wait @ times, but it's b/c ppl come here b/c it's good!
Cash Only.
This is pretty much the only place I'll go in the ID for bubble teaListed in: The 5 Star list, Cheap eats
-
Review from Inna B.
3/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ambrosia Cafe has some seriously good Bubble Tea!
I followed Melody P. here because she said they had fantastic BB. I decided on the cold Green Tea with mango flavor and tapioca balls. It was refreshing and delicious and perfect. Happiness!
The space didn't seem especially cozy so I'm not sure if I would have liked to hang around, but they had a nice and big selection of bubble tea options and I believe they had some snacks available as well.
Oh, oh! One nice bonus: The prices were lower than I'm used to seeing! My giant delicious drink was about $3.05.Listed in: BUBBLE TEA!
-
Review from Jovana F.
6/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I hate to admit this, but sometimes I purposely miss my exit on the highway so that Ambrosia can be "on the way" home from work. I love the Taro milk tea. A friend put me on to the Taro shake, which is slightly less tea and it may now be my new favorite.
The fruit shakes are good too, I like the mango. -
Review from Melody P.
My favorite bubble tea in Seattle! I believe Ambrosia Cafe has been opened for a while (as far as I know, ever since when I was in college in 1999, it was already there)
Cash Only!
They customize (I normally have my bubble without sugar, because it's normally too sweet with sugar) my bubble tea without charging me extra. They bubble tea not only tastes like tea, but also tastes like creamy milk. (in Chinese, we call that milk tea)
My friend ordered a mango smooth type of drink. They offer both artificial mango flavor and fresh mango (you can pick one)Listed in: Close to home, International District
-
Review from Naveed N.
Mercer Island, WA
7/22/2011
My favorite place to get bubble tea in Seattle period.
Cash only- but the prices are fair, service is good, and the boba is delicious. -
Review from Celeste Y.
Seattle, WA
4/20/2011
I've tried all the boba joints in the ID, and Ambrosia is by far the most delicious and most consistent. It's on par with the best places in California and in Asia. I come at least once a week for my fix.
I tend to stick to Flavored Green Teas and ask for less sugar, and tell myself that I'm being healthy. My favorite flavors are Cantaloupe and Lychee. The BF, who doesn't worry about silly things like whole fat milk making his bum fat, loves the Taro Milk Tea.
They have a large assortment of jellies that you can put in your drink instead of/on top of the tapioca bubbles (which they make perfectly, always), including but not limited to lychee jelly, green tea jelly... I don't remember the rest but those are my favorites. I like having texture contrast.
Service is always expedient. Sometimes when I come in when the store is empty, all the employees are sitting at one of the tables eating and watching TV. But they'll immediately get up and start busying themselves behind the counter when a customer enters. I don't think it takes 3 people to make one drink, but I admire their work ethic.
Cash only.
Best boba in Seattle! Try it out. :) -
Review from Amy S.
Elk Grove, CA
2/10/2011
Love tea house name! (the Chinese form)
Love the milk tea w/pearl. The best I had in Seattle. -
Review from Jasmine W.
Kent, WA
3/23/2011 8 Check-ins Here
Love the taro milk tea here, bubbles or no. They're fast, so I enjoy my delicious, delicious bubble tea in no time at all, especially after some congee at Mike's Noodle House just up the street.
YUM. -
Review from Sarah E.
11/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I was on the hunt for a boba place in Seattle and I found this little place. The prices were OK and they have a little selection of drinks. They use fresh fruit for their smoothies, unless it's not in season, then it's powdered flavoring. I had a strawberry smoothie, which was OK and the wifey got the almond milk tea, which was also just OK. Nothing to write home about, but if I'm thirsty, I'll stop in for a drink.
-
Review from Kevin C.
4/5/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Really Cheap! and Really Good!
I had the Taro Milk tea, and they make it just right, not too sweet, not too rich. But it could be a little bit colder though.
I'm usually really picky about tapioca, and their's is a little bit on the soft side. -
Review from Angelic L.
San Jose, CA
9/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Every time I come to Washington, this is the only place I'll get pearl tea. It's the best tea in Seattle!
-
Review from Daren D.
8/2/2011
I first noticed the long selection when I walked inside. From Honey to Honeydew and Apple to Avocado, they gots it here. While the powdered list is extensive, the fresh list is also fairly large. I went for a fresh Honeydew with tapioca and it was refreshing. There seems to be a decent line anytime you go, so prep for that. They also have ESPN on in the corner.
-
Review from Jen B.
Seattle, WA
8/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I keep coming back to Ambrosia for their Ambrosia delight. The stuff is like a pink strawberry starburst in liquid form. I've had their other bubble teas before, but I honestly can't remember anything before I started getting the ambrosia delight. Definitely a fan of the milk teas; the boba doesn't freeze if you don't drink it fast enough. Remember, cash only!! Come here after you've eaten at Kau Kau or Shanghai!
-
Review from Angelina V.
Seattle, WA
3/11/2011
This is the original bubble tea home.
I remember going here after school and learning how to play Go and Chess and hanging out in the park and spitting tapioca balls at my friends and pigeons through the thick straws. It was great. -
Review from HaNa P.
Redmond, WA
They are good but if you are lactose intolerant, definitely do not go for the heavy taro milk tea with tapioca.
I tried their ice shakes and they are very delicious. The passion fruit with fruit jelly tasted very good. And the lychee really tastes like lychee and add lychee jelly for $.50 and you are in lychee heaven.
ONLY CASH! don't forget. You will need at least $3.50 for a drink. -
Review from George G.
6/14/2011
One of the better bubble tea joints in Seattle so far! Their bubble teas can be had in different combinations, each item is inexpensive, and for a few cents more, you have the choice of having real fruits here, as in whole ripe mango or strawberry, to be mixed in with your tapioca drink. Good and quick service is also what you'll get from its staff. They accept cash only, so credit cards are not good here. Also, parking is at the street only, so plan on going around in circles for a while if you come here, since parking at International District is hard to come by sometimes.
Comment from Kris K. of Ambrosia Cafe 6/20/2011
Thank you for your comment George. We will keep it up and… More » -
Review from Tony S.
Ames, IA
11/14/2011
Meh. Maybe they were having an "off" day or maybe my standards are too exacting (being originally from California), but the drink I had was mediocre. Boba was squishy and rubbery instead of chewy, although it was flavorful. Was pleased at the diversity of offerings, including fresh fruit options (I had an avocado milk shake), but the taste was only average. An improvement over the blandness of bubble tea drinks in most of the Midwest (where I currently live in exile), but not up to par with what I could obtain in the land of my birth.
-
Review from Eric W.
10/14/2009
When this wannabe fob goes on a trip, where is the first place he heads to? The milk tea shop! Is it just me, or does Seattle seem to have way more of these per capita than the Bay Area? They are everywhere! Perhaps it is an extension of the coffee culture, but catered towards Asians? I think I noticed at least 5-6 on these few small blocks in the International District alone, which is quite impressive, considering that nationwide chains such as Quickly, Tapioca Express, or anything similar are nowhere to be found.
Choosing an establishment out of this plethora was a daunting task indeed, but after traversing the neighborhood a few times, something seemed to draw me to Ambrosia. Sporting a low key exterior, and drab, somewhat sloppy interior, from the appearance alone, Ambrosia reminded me of many of my favorite shops back home.
Based on the stained awning, with the logo and lettering almost peeling off, I'm assuming Ambrosia has been at this exact location for some time now. Longevity is always a good thing. Forget that "all show, no go" flashiness that many cafes are victims of. The majority of the places I've patronized that look exactly like this pretty much serve up the same type of fare - darn good milk tea.
The tea is freshly brewed, unlike at those aforementioned chains, and made to order. It's nothing mindblowingly spectacular, but I would certainly rank the milk tea in the upper 1/3 of places I've experienced. The pearls seem a bit smaller than average, almost like a medium size between the normal and mini, and have the ideal chewy texture.
Seating is minimal, and not necessarily the most comfortable place to study or take a hot date, but works perfectly well for a quick break to enjoy your drink. It's not the hip and happenin' spot for the local teenagers to congregate, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on which demographic you belong to.
With all the other choices in the vicinity, I might be back sometime to sample the rest of the lot, but they may have a difficult time dragging me away from Ambrosia. Besides, by the next time I return to Seattle, who knows how many of those also ran, fly by nighters will still be around. It is almost guaranteed that Ambrosia will still be standing strong, awning even more stained, and letters almost completely peeled off. -
Review from Virginia L.
Seattle, WA
12/1/2010
I am a huge bubble tea afficionado and coming from Vancouver, B.C., my standards are exceptionally high. After trying many places and being disappointed countless times, I've come to the conclusion, that Ambrosia has the best bubble tea in Seattle. Now, this isn't saying a lot, but since I need a bubble tea fix once a week, this is my current go-to place.
My litmus test for bubble tea quality is the green milk tea with tapioca. The tapioca balls here are perfectly textured, chewy but not too hard or soft. The green milk tea itself is too sweet when ordered straight off the menu so I order it with half the sugar which makes it just right. This drink is excellent either hot or cold. Some other drinks that I recommend are the hot grass jelly and strawberry smoothie (with FRESH strawberries). It's rare to find a place that uses real fruit in their drinks so I certainly appreciate that they do here. Not only are their drinks good, but the prices cannot be beat. At $2.75 for the aforementioned green milk tea, you'd be hard pressed to find that price anywhere else, much less at this quality.
I took off one star because, although this place is really good, it pales in comparison to my absolute favourite bubble tea cafe, Pearl Tea Castle, in Richmond, B.C. I'm also taking off a hypothetical half star because this place seems a little dingy and the guys behind the counter don't seem too keen on customer service. They can usually be found smoking outside or taking up one of the few tables playing games on their iPhones.
Bottom line, if you enjoy bubble tea, you really can't go wrong with Ambrosia. -
Review from David A.
7/17/2007
Last year when I went back to Seattle I was happy to see this place still around. This is, hands down, the best bubble tea joint in the universe. Better than the more flashy (but still good) gossip, better than the Uwajimaya food court bubble tea place, better than anywhere in LA or SF, just... better.
Why so good? They make their bubble tea out of a real green tea and milk base. Then, they blend it with real fruit to make a milky puree. Then ice (after blending, so it's still bubble-tea consistency, not shake or smoothie consistency), tapioca, and lid, all in a 24 oz glass for $2.50. What a deal. Though I will say the going price of bubble tea in Seattle is more reasonable than any other major city.
The variety they have is astounding. Starfruit, mulberry, pear, wheat germ... just to name a few. And I'd like to reiterate it's the real deal, not just a powder.
Not open as late as I like... but who cares. Get it when you can. -
Review from Linda C.
11/11/2009
So, which one of the following types of girlfriends would you rather have?
1) A supermodel with no brain, but only looks, who could only sustain you intelligently for 30 seconds...
OOOOR
2) A somewhat plain Jane girl, but who is charming and funny and smart who you never get bored talking to?
Is this a trick question? Perhaps. However, if you chose #2, go to Ambrosia Cafe instead of all those imitation fancy schmancy tea places. Neither the interior nor exterior looks or feels very fancy at all - as a matter of fact, you might even call it downright drab and dirty. BUUUT, that's the charm. Ambrosia has a very comfortable charm to it, like all those dingy dim sum or asian bakeries that are BLEH on the outside, but produce the BESTEST goodies for your devouring pleasure!
The menu is huge, and the prices are definitely reasonable. The service is decent (I don't expect too much) and the milk teas are wonderful. The pearls are decent, but the milk tea - good sweetness with a creamy texture, served piping hot. Sure, you won't find dim sum in this place, but heck, I'm sure you'll be able to find some at the neighboring stores with the $ you've saved...
Head here...I recommend. -
Review from Sarah G.
Fullerton, CA
6/19/2009
The best place for bubble tea I have had in Washington. I am from California, and there are some extremely delicious boba places down there.
About a year ago my Taiwanese co-worker (and now very good friend), Charlotte, asked me "Have you ever heard of boba?" "YES!" I exclaimed. So she brought me back a delicious jasmine green tea with boba!! That day, I knew we were destined to be close friends! :)
She used to work in the International District, right around the corner from this place. She explained that it was the first place in Washington to serve bubble tea. It is her favorite, and it is now my favorite. When we worked in the Financial District, we would take the bus here on our lunch break just to get tea.
One of my favorite things about this place is that they have children's jokes on the lid in Chinese. It is fun to have Charlotte translate the jokes even though they don't always make sense in English!
I love Ambrosia, I love the staff, I love the teas.
P.S. I described Charlotte as Taiwanese because our relationship is based on her teaching me to be more Asian and me teaching her to be more White, hehe :)Listed in: Good Boba, Bad Boba, Great…
-
Review from Len T.
Olympia, WA
7/30/2010
Ambro-Sh-YEAH!!!
The bubble tea here is just short of phenomenal... depending on the flavor. I am typically a regular milk tea + tapioca = $2.75 but I have recently branched out to try flavors such as strawberry and watermelon. The regular milk tea and strawberry are good, however the watermelon comes off as a bit powdery at times. Also, they don't stinge you out on pearls (one of my favs) as some other places do (Gossip).
Pros:
-The tea, food, shakes, and other beverages are really cheap
-The people are super nice... although some might not speak english well
-The guys' hats and fashions are very entertaining!
-The quality of most drinks are good
-They make it really fast
Cons:
-Sometimes they might add too much ice
-Steer clear of some flavors such as watermelon, blueberry, and greenbean?!
-The tea is a bit fatty, but whatevs :] -
Review from Amanda K.
Mercer Island, WA
9/1/2010
Woohoo!
My favorite place to get bubble tea EVER!
The milk tea is perfectly sweet, and the tapioca balls are the perfect texture. Totally reminds me of bubble tea from Taiwan.
The bubble tea comes in many flavors, and there are many different jellies and other things to choose from to add to your milk tea.
I miss coming here, I used to come with my brother and mother ALL THE TIME.Listed in: THE BEST OF THE BEST, Feeling Asian?
-
Review from drie C.
Seattle, WA
6/25/2008
Eekk!!
usually i'm not too picky about bubble tea.
Today, I went to Ambrosia and tried their Rose Milk Tea. OMG I felt like I was drinking soap. Then I tried my friend's Taro and it was bland. Some people like it a lot, but definitely not me.Listed in: Seattle's Sweets!
-
Review from Jim C.
Redwood City, CA
8/10/2008
I'm a big pearl milk tea fan and didn't think I could find anything comparable to the good stuff you can find in the San Francisco Bay area (like Fantasia). But walking around Seattle Chinatown, we happened to run into this place and their jasmine green milk w/pearls was surprisingly good! And it was a lot cheaper than the SF Bay Area. $2.50 got you a huge cup. We liked this place so much that we came back a couple times in the few days that we were in Seattle.
Bottom line: Don't know about their other milk tea flavors, but the jasmine green milk tea is a winner. -
Review from Yumi D.
Kirkland, WA
8/7/2011
I have been a happy customer of Ambrosia Cafe since I was a 16 years old and am now 30. The flavors I had as a teenager still taste as delicious as ever and the new ones they have added over the years are wonderful too. I have tried almost every single bubble tea place from Tukwila to Lynnwood and none have even come close to the quality, taste and love these guys put their bubble tea.
My favorite is Jasmine Green Tea with Green Tea Jelly and I would be willing to travel any distance to get my hands on it. I live in Kirkland and will drive all the way to China Town just for their bubble tea. I love you guys, thanks so much for being a part of my life for so long! -
Review from Aline P.
Seattle, WA
6/30/2008
The place is cheap compared to other boba joints. They give you a lot for their price too. BUT, the boba doesn't taste like anything. It just tastes like tea! We ordered a Lychee boba and Mango boba but when we took a few sips we were all like: WTF? It just tastes like cold tea with tapioca in it. WTF? Okay okay, maybe they're being healthy by not adding too much sugar in but....come on, I ordered a FLAVORED bubble tea! I could BARELY...BAAAAAAAARELY taste the mango in my "Mango boba". I couldn't taste the lychee at all.
WTF? -
Review from Jennifer O.
Auburn, WA
I tried the Mango Flavored Green Tea with Angel Jelly. The Angel Jelly has a lemony taste to it. There wasn't a lot of Jelly in my Tea, but it was tasty. The Jelly was a little softer than I am used to, but it had a home made taste to it. The flavoring was nice and the service was pleasant. The total for my drink was 3.03 cheaper and more refreshing than a coffee beverage. I like this place and will add it to my bubble Tea Rotation. The Jelly is excellent and I think I will see if I can pay a little extra and get a little more the next time.
