Tea Station - Artesia

I must say, the Beef Wonton soup was delicious. The waitstaff were very friendly and accommodating. However, I was quite disappointed with the manager. As it was my first visit to this restaurant, I approached the counter to inquire about the teas. After deciding on the soup, I informed the staff that it was for here, and the manager hastily urged me to move out of the way simply because there was one person behind me. When I brought up his attitude to the waitress, she mentioned that he is always grumpy. He seemed quite anxious, pacing back and forth, biting his nails, and I noticed he doesn't wash his hands when preparing drinks. Additionally, he was also very rude to the staff. Honestly, I won't be returning. Good food and excellent customer service need to go hand in hand. If I can't have both, then I won't be giving my business to this restaurant!

I realize this place is popular with the young, trendy crowd. I ordered the fried tofu and a standard milk tea, which came to $13 including tax. The tofu was served in a small box with tiny pieces, while the milk tea was enjoyable. However, for those of us who have outgrown the hip scene, I prefer Quickly a few blocks away, where I can get a larger box of tofu with bigger pieces and a decent milk tea for half the price.

The menu was quite extensive and everything looked appealing. However, since we arrived just 20 minutes before closing, the staff informed us that we could only order iced tea. Unfortunately, my first choice was unavailable. Although I would definitely consider returning to sample more of their offerings, this initial experience was a bit disappointing.

Whether it’s day or night, this teahouse is incredible. It offers a vast selection of teas, snacks, and even full meals if you’re feeling hungry. I love stopping by after an evening movie at the Cerritos Mall, especially because they let you customize the sweetness level to your preference. My top two choices are the Honeydew Melon Tea (hot) at 1/4 sweetness and the Taro Tea (hot) at 1/3 sweetness.

I likely won't return to this restaurant. It took 20 minutes for us to get our drink order. I understand they need to prioritize their seated customers, but a 20-minute wait is excessive, especially since they weren't particularly busy. Although the drinks were good, the wait wasn't worth it. We chose this place for its convenient location, but next time we'll head to Cha2o next door for better service.