Eli Tea Bar - Chicago, Illinois

Jocelyn G.

It's a very well decorated cafe with lots of seating and merch. Their menu is extensive to a staggering degree, though unfortunately of the three people who ordered with me, two of the drinks were messed up. Still getting 4 stars because the vibes were great, they host community events weekly, and the staff was very polite and kind.

Amber C.

Tucked into a cute little street, great atmosphere right off the bat. The folks on at the counter were funny and kind and the tea is probably the best I've had in Chicago so far.

Lots of things to look at and relaxing seating makes this a go back spot for me.

Rachael J.

A gorgeous sober queer space with amazing tea & boba!! They also sell loose leaf teas to go and have a cute shop inside with very unique items.

There's also awesome events here from arts and crafts night to writing night, queer sober social, and more.

There are cookies, pastries and vegan samosas to snack on. I love this place and stop by every time I'm in Andersonville!

Bill W.

The atmosphere at Eli Tea Bar is incredibly welcoming and inclusive. I was so amazed by the wide variety of tea leaves they offer, as well as the diverse selection of boba flavors and tea-based latte drinks available on the menu. We tried the lychee jasmine Ube latte, which was decent. There are plenty of seatings, with bar seats at the front and more tables along with a stage in the back for events.

M

Overall Thoughts: I like this spot! The interior is super aesthetic, inclusive, and comfortable. They have a diverse selection of creative drinks on the menu that I haven’t seen before in other bubble tea spots. I ordered the ube jasmine tea latte, which was made instantly. It was very sweet but I eventually got used to the sweetness. The ube flavors weren’t very strong and I don’t think I tasted much lychee flavor either. Regardless, it was a tasty treat, and I’d be eager to try their other drinks on the menu! The prices here are standard for what you’d see at a typical bubble tea store, so no surprises there.
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Price (relative to peers): 4.3/5
Drinks: 4.2/5
Ambience: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Overall Value: 4.4/5

Rye

I was sad that i wouldn’t be near my favorite boba tea place when i moved recently (happy lemon, i love you) but very quickly, Eli has filled that void. I want to start by saying i LOVE the interior. the shop has a great layout to chill and has cute decorations. plenty of seats and wifi if you want to stay around. (plus it’s quiet) they also host trivia nights, open mic and other fun community events. the menu has a wide variety of options and refreshing drinks. the tea is freshly made, and all the ingredients they use are too. i have gone a few times and every time my drink is yummy and the boba has been cooked properly. very quickly this place has earned my loyalty!

Amanda K.

I’ve been here a couple of times now and there’s always a friendly chill vibe and I have liked everything I’ve tried so far.

Chavala Y.

The drink, fabulous. The space, so safe and queer and cozy for playing games with a long distance friend. The trinkets, utterly delightful.