Yaya Tea is always a reliable spot for affordable eats, great place for a quick bite in Chinatown!!Yaya Tea has multiple locations throughout the city. Yaya Tea on a corner of Grand Street is a bit smaller than other locations, especially in terms of seating. However, still perfect for grab-and-go if you're craving milk/fruit teas and onigiri! This location also offers self-service via Snackpass, which was super helpful in customizing our orders.My friends and I all ordered their signature Boyfriend drink (mango and lychee white tea) as well as their chicken riceball with spicy mayo. I ordered my drink with 50% sugar and with lychee jelly, and the drink turned out having a fairly strong tea...
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.
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. :
The young ladies are helpful and it's a nice place to go have a drink. But for me it's just too sweet. I went to another Boba shop and they asked how sweet I want it. But if you like super sweet drinks, this might be for you.Food: 3/5
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The food was excellent. I just wish the rice balls had come with some sauce. There is very little seating and it was crowded. There were a lot of people on their phones speaking loudly. I would recommend getting take out.Food: 4/5
We ordered a large Lychee Tree and a small salmon rice ball for $10. The rice ball took a bit of time, but the decor and merchandise were fun to pass the time. Good, but nothing too special about the food. Great for snacking.
The onigiri here are fresh, delicious, and very affordable. My favorites are the tuna, shrimp tempura, and salmon onigiri—they're absolutely amazing!
Very good vegetarian options. Just a few seats. Loved the mango boba teas. Rice bowls are very Nice for snacks. Would go again.
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The Spam Riceball and Takoyaki Riceball had much less filling than what was shown in the picture. They contained mostly rice.
The Crunchy Garlic Edamame Riceball is my favorite! Yaya always exceeds my expectations.
