Yaya Tea - City of New York

If you're in search of an affordable spot for onigiri, this place is definitely the one to check out. They also offer boba tea, various drinks, and dishes like yakisoba. For those seeking vegetarian options, they have salad onigiri, which I believe comes with seaweed.

I really enjoyed the I Love Yaya drink, and the Takoyaki and Yaya Riceball were fantastic as well. However, the seating is quite limited. It’s also more economical to place your order with the cashier rather than using the kiosk machine. Overall, I’d rate the food a 4 out of 5.

The rice balls were incredible! I can't stop thinking about them ever since I tried them, and I really wish I lived in the city so I could have more. They were just that good. If you’re in the area, you should definitely give them a try. The bubble tea was also enjoyable—nothing out of the ordinary, but it was delicious and super refreshing on a hot day.

This place used to be so good, it was my favorite onigiri in NYC. However it seems it has gone downhill…. today I got my usual, the imitation crab onigiri, and it was just rice and plain crab, no spicy mayo at all or seasoning of any kind despite being advertised as made with spicy mayo). It was not good, and I ended up throwing it away along with my bubble tea, which had very weak flavor. $30 worth of food and drink straight into the trash. :

I stayed at a hotel nearby and was so thankful to have this spot to go to for my afternoon onigiri. I have tried their crawfish and the Japanese one. I loved that the crawfish one had a bit of a kick with the spicy mayo. My feedback on the Japanese one...the picture showed an omelet-style egg but the one I got had chopped up hard-boiled egg. I would've liked it omelet-style better. I want to try the plum and spam one, next time, and come back for the teas! This place is conveniently located in Little Italy, right across Ferrara. You can order on the kiosk or at the counter, and service was fast. It's a quick order spot, not really for hanging out, but it's casual and efficient.