Sencha Tea Bar

"This is a nice place. I like how they are open a little later than other places (10pm) so it is a good place to study. They have a wide selection of teas but I'm a simple guy. I just need something simple to drink while I read and study. One thing, they are not at fault for- when it is cold outside, it can get a little warm inside, because they don't control the heating. It is controlled on a single system by the building which has units above. The vibe is great. Compared to other places, coffeeshops, which I like and view favorably, this vibe I would characterize as just plain friendly. Friendly and warm and happy which for me was unexpected given the general area."

"Such great vibes and really good drinks! Definitely worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood"

"Happened upon this delightful tea bar by accident when showing an out of town guest the Prince mural. We’re both huge tea lovers so immediately had to try it out. They had a wide variety of teas and options available. We each got the Lavender London Fog. If a shop can truly impress me with their London Fog, (I’m very picky about them) then I’m sold. I also tried their lemon berry bar and found it to be delicious and a great pairing with my tea. They also have lots of cute items for sale. I ended up leaving with 2 rings, a pin, and 2 plushies and zero regrets. I’ll definitely be back with my husband and raved to his coworkers as well. I only wish it was closer to home. If Sencha ever wants to open a location near Maple Grove/Champlin/Osseo I’d be a happy and frequent customer!"

"I’ve been coming here since before it was Sencha. There are things I appreciate about the new ownership/brand and things I wish were improved. Overall, I think this is a great boba tea shop. What I love: The new renovations done a few years back when the company was sold and “Sencha” was born. Having worked there for a year when it was the Tea Garden, the new improvements definitely would have made a huge difference for staff (which means better, faster product for customers). It also just looks way better! I like the contemporary chair seating in the front of house, and love the cushioned benches (they also have cushions on the standard table chairs). I like the expanded flavor selection and product line (variety enamel pins, keychains, tea products, etc.). I also like that this place has become quite the study hot-spot. What I’d like to see improved: They went down from two restrooms to only one public restroom. This poses a huge problem when the shop is busy. Today (Sunday, December 3, 2023) there are no restrooms available to the public (even though have a staff-only restroom available)! Apparently, this is all because someone stole the key to the public restroom. Obviously, this is a business which sells liquid product for consumption, and the need for a restroom goes without saying. Additionally, the bathrooms could use a renovation and maybe get to the bottom of why they always smell faintly bad (old pipes). Some of the benches show ware and are in need of repair. Likewise, some tables are not level. The heat seems to be broken and multiple customers have complained to each other and staff of it being very hot in here today. I’ve also experienced this before. (I had to remove a star due to these concerns.) The drink menu, recipes, and ingredients seem to be much the same as ever. Unfortunately, however, lattes are no longer blended (think traditional blender). I have, on more than one occasion, found clumps of unmixed powder in my drinks. Trust me, blended is better. When I worked at Tea Garden, we always had two to three (sometimes four) people working, especially on weekends when we had frequent rushes. Not having enough people on staff means drinks take longer to order (waiting in line) and to receive (one person takes orders from a rush of people and then makes them). And as for the hours, like most establishments post-pandemic, this shop has yet to restore its previously wide operating hours. It closes at 10 PM, and just one extra hour later on weekends. (Tea Garden stayed open until 1 AM.) Outside of the shop, I wish they would fix the front door problem (always sags and gets stuck open on the concrete) and clean up the eye sore of a back alley area they have. The sign designating parking spaces still reads “Tea Garden and Design Collective parking only” and one of them is badly rusted and bent. It’s bent in such as way that one cannot see when they get too close. (In my case, I now have a big chip in the paint on my front bumper!) There has been a piece of plywood on one of the windows of the building in the back, and the back door is rusty/in need of paint. This doesn’t seem like much, it’s an alley after all. It’s just that it is unsightly and kinda kills the mood/excitement of getting my favorite bubble tea. Plus, it doesn’t do the beautiful adjacent Prince mural any justice. (A Prince deserves better, y’all.) It took a while to find the outlets. The customer service is as best as it can be when they only have one person on duty. While I like the seasonal decorations, however, sometimes (in addition to adverts everywhere) there’s just too much going on. The environment could benefit from a refined minimalism. After all, it is a tea shop. It would take a lot for me to stop coming here, which says something for the overall value that Sencha offers. It’s a staple of the Twin Cities (they have a Saint Paul location too). Would love to see this special place given the TLC it deserves."

"My daughter adores this quaint and lovable shop. I took her there myself to see what she loved so much, and I was equally impressed. As soon as you walk in you are greeted with home-y decor and aromatic heaven. The service is fast and the baristas are friendly and competent. Would 100% recommend to anyone interested in finding a local go-to tea shop."