Snow Monster

I loved this place in Irvine! It’s super cute place and definitely satisfied my sweet tooth! I got 2 macaroon sandwiches and my friend and sister got the Snow Boba drink. There was a line out the door but it didn’t take too long. Worth the wait!

I was hoping to try their macaroon ice cream sandwich but was WAY too full from dinner. Ended up just getting some drinks instead. The drinks were all okay~ Not amazing. Not disappointing.
1. Matcha Milk Latte: You could taste the bitterness of the matcha so be mindful of that when you order.
2. Freshly Brewed Thai Tea: Just standard thai tea. Nothing special.
3. Freshly Brewed Jasmine Milk Tea; This one was my favorite out of the three!

Snow monster! Super close to UCI if you ever want macaroon and ice cream. Come here! It’s worth it

This place is SO good! I never knew this place existed until I was browsing thru Unilocal (I was craving a snow cone so I typed in «snow»). But Snow Monster was a good enough sugar fix!
Their their ice cream macaron sandwich and a jar of their strawberry lemonade (perfect for a warm summer evening).
I would definitely go back to this place to try their other flavors of ice cream and their Coffee drinks look super good too!
Also love how this place is opened super late.

I got their thai tea and it’s really tasty! I’d definitely get this again if I had the cravings.
I was brought here because I was told they were known for it. Initially I thought all thai tea tasted the same but I was wrong! This one is slightly creamier which is what I like. You also can get more if you get the drink in their jar for 2 more dollars. The only reason I gave this place 4 stars was because of the wait. I think I waited around 15 – 20 minutes just to place my order (in their defense, it was a hot day and they looked understaffed)

I tried their Thai tea before from a friend and I fell in love with it. So when I came here for the first time I really wanted it but then I saw they had a matcha drink and it became a hard battle between matcha or Thai. So being the adventurous me, I decided to get their matcha latte since I tried the Thai tea before.
the drink itself wasn’t bad but there was so many powder in the bottom of the drink and it tasted really bitter and every time I take a sip the powder gets stuck in my teeth … I went back in and told them I didn’t really like it and if I can get something else and the lady was so nice and accommodating. So ofc I got my Thai tea.
So after everything my friends and I sat outside chilling and one of the staff came out and gave us a free snow Ice dessert (idk what’s it called) but it was SO freaking good! I’ve tried so many snow ice before but girl this is the BEST I’ve ever had. It was so fluffy and smooth. Not chunky and icy like the ones I had.
Definitely recommending this place to my friends and coming back

I’ve been to the Snow Monster in Westminster a few times already so this was my first time going to the Irvine location. Located in UTC near Trader Joes, parking is way easier here than in Westminster. I also feel that this location is a little bigger and can fit more tables. I absolutely love the décor inside, especially the accent brick walls. They also have a few games that you can play here like Jenga. My favorite is the huge deck of cards that are way bigger than your face LOL The card games took up like two tables!
My friend and I both ordered the jasmine milk tea with boba in a jar (jar is $ 2 extra) They have boba now! With tax and everything, the drink in the jar was $ 7.02 yea it sounds pretty pricey but you’re also buying the jar and if you bring the jar back next time you come, you can get a refill. So I think it’s still worth it. You don’t have to buy it with a jar though. You can buy the drink in the plastic cups, which is still cute since they put the monster sticker on it too. Most people just buy it in the jar for the pictures honestly. I ordered my drink with less ice so I could really taste the jasmine milk tea. I thought it was really good! The boba was pretty chewy also. They actually put a lot of boba in the drink so you’ll most likely have a lot of boba leftover in the jar after you finished the jasmine milk tea.
Snow Monster is also known for their ice cream macarons. They have many ice cream flavors but make sure you’re reading the list on today’s ice cream flavors when choosing. My friend ordered the cap n’ crunch macaron with salted caramel ice cream. I wanted the matcha green tea ice cream and I asked the cashier which macaron would go well with it. He said strawberry so that’s what I chose. It was actually pretty difficult eating the ice cream macaron because I didn’t know how to break it up or how to eat it lol I ended up eating the three parts separately. Honestly, I didn’t think the ice cream macaron was anything special. The macaron actually got a bit sickening after a while.
However, I heard that the shaved ice here is pretty good too so I’ll be back to try that. Great place to get dessert with friends and to take that Instagram picture! LOL

Came here after a long week of finals eager to try their boba since Cha is closed down for the summer. Unfortunately they ran out of boba by the time I came and they told me that «there wasn’t any coming out soon.» I’m pretty disappointed they ran out considering they should be well aware that customers are coming here for boba now that Cha is closed. Not only that, but my friend in line before me was told she got the last serving of boba for her shaved snow, but to her dismay (and after paying and receiving a number) they called her back up to tell her there’s no more.
Long story short, if you’re in the mood for boba and you’ve been craving it, don’t come here because they might not have it.

this was my first experience at a Snow Monster shop. seeing that they don’t have any locations in the Bay Area, of course, I had to try it at least once to c what the hype is all about. the SoCal weather was pretty sunny n muggy yesterday so it was the perfect time to get a cold one.
this Snow Monster location can b found on Campus Drive in Irvine in Orange County. it’s in a large plaza right across from the UC Irvine campus thus «Campus Drive.» it’s across from Slapfish. parking is easy with the large lot there.
I walked around the whole plaza til I finally found the shop. (looks like mostly students eating there from UC Irvine.) the shop location itself doesn’t look very large. just a few tables inside, but the cute wall décor r all definitely photo-​worthy so don’t forget to snap a couple while u r there waiting for ur drinks.
they sell artisan ice cream flavors in addition to their popular teas. n of course the most recognizable r their large glass jars filled to the brim with Jasmine Milk Tea or Thai Tea. at first I thought they were plastic jars; then it wouldn’t b worth it to me. I saw on Unilocal that customers said they were glass n it was just an additional $ 2 so of course got one! :) I seriously don’t know what it is about teas in glass jars these days. every shop is selling some kind now. I swear I have AT LEAST 3 different kinds at home now!
their Jasmine Milk Tea is pretty good. a bit sweet, but after the ice melts, it tastes much better. the size of the glass jar is so large that it’s probably 2 cups of regular sized drinks. it’s pretty worth the money. plus, u can take it back to the shop for a refill n pay less. great deal!

I’ve been here a couple of times to finally say that this place is alright. Good pricing for the amount you get and their refills on drinks are cheap. Their Thai tea is definitely one of the best I’ve had but their Jasmine milk tea is a bit disappointing. Left a really bad aftertaste and is a bit too sweet. Overall, I would recommend for people to come out to at least try it out once. Just wished they had a larger menu. Last time I visited they only added two new drinks to the menu.

They have 8 I’ve cream flavors at a time so you may not get what you see in these pictures. It was a big scoop of ice cream (so much so that you can’t bite the sandwich) and the macaron is very soft (so much so that you can’t squish the sandwich to be able to bite it). They give a spoon luckily. I thought the design of their cookies was cute and unique. Flavors were good. I liked the strawberry but the toffee was too sweet… Might want to pair it with a cookie that’s not too sweet. Everyone working there was super nice.

I came here with my sister after I ran the oc half marathon cause you know. why not?! She wasn’t in the mood for a meal and I was debating to be sort of good and eat lunch or just be bad and eat a lot of sugar. Obvious I chose Ice cream and milk tea… sooo yea know…
Anyways this place is kept really clean and they have plenty of parking since it is part of the plaza near UCI. I’m sure all the students come here since it is right across the street.
They definitely have interesting flavors for the macaroons so you should try it out with a flavor ice cream you’ve never had before. Our macaroon was oreos and ice cream was some kind of almond in it. Not the best memory so I guess you’ll have to try it yourself to find out. :p

Sometimes I just crave this place. I loved their Thia Shaved Snow with rainbow jelly and poppers or custard. It’s very addictive. Their macaroons, cookies and ice-​cream flavors look amazing as well but I have an addiction to the Shaved snow so haven’t gotten around to trying everything else though I did get a sample of the coffee and oreo ice-​cream which I would like to eat by the gallon. I could never work here my lifespan would be cut in half.

Been there. Done that.
I’ve heard so much about Snow Monster, that when a friend, and fellow Unilocaler Silvia G. started talking about it over dinner, my mind was set to go, whether it be solo, or with her and her husband. We all ended up there.
First — lots of parking on a Saturday night. Snow Monster is inside the plaza, next to 24 Hour Fitness and across from Slapfish. Not a lot of seating indoors, but some outdoors. Be prepared to wait in line — there’s even a posted sign apologizing for the wait.
After about a thirty minute wait, I ordered a Rainbow Cloud — Strawberry Matcha Milk Latte in one of their refillable mason jars which comes with cotton candy and fruit flavored cereal. I don’t remember the cost but the capacity is 32 ounces but charged for the 24 ounce sized cup — per the cashier. Refillable at any location.
Here’s my take on the drink. To start — too much ice. The ice watered down the Matcha. Second, the strawberries were cut into chunks. So you can’t taste the flavor unless you crush them, if you can get past all the ice. It wasn’t bad — I would have preferred less or no ice and just straight Matcha.
I did opt for the reusable jar so maybe I’ll try a different drink or combination and maybe my opinion of Snow Monster may improve. For the time being, it’s OK.

There are a lot of things I like about this place, but not enough to go out of the way to come here.
There was plenty of seating. but also plenty of college students camping there.
There was snow… but not very many (or exotic) flavors.
There was no line… but still had to wait a while to get my order because they were slow.
Some things I liked:
The macarons were gigantic and tasted as advertised.
They have color changing spoons that turn blue when cold O_​O
The snow I did try was legit.
Would I come back? Unless i’m in the area already, nah.

OMG! How cute is this place!!! I came to Snow Monster on a random Friday night after dinner. I know there has been new drink places that is serving their drinks in reusable cups, jars, etc. I have been to plenty in the last few months and I think that the mason jar that they give at Snow Monster is probably the cutest one that I have seen. (Plus, the jar is totally practical, so you can use the jar for something else, not just drinks). I know that there is usually a long line to this place, but surprisingly, there was almost no wait when I got there on Friday. After looking through the menu, I decided on the Thai tea with the bottles (the bottles are $ 2 extra).
The shop is very small, so there is limited amount of seats. But since I was there when it was a little less crowded, I had no problem finding a seat. The drinks came out quickly. I was a little disappointed by the Thai Tea, it had a weird after taste to it (like a wood taste???). I did try the green tea and next time I think I might get that as it tasted better than mine. But, I thought it wasn’t too bad. Plus, they gave me SOO much, it was impossible to finish. Overall, a fun experience and I would definitely come back here again.

[Review is based solely off the drinks]
The first time I came here was the grand opening, and I was very surprised to see that they did not have boba on the menu. Now understanding that Cha for Tea pretty much has the monopoly of boba in UTC, I get it.
I’ve always been a fan of the thai tea from Snow Monster and now that it’s closer to me, it’s much more convenient for me to stop by! I always grab the thai tea with grass jelly. What’s weird to me is that every time I come to this Snow Monster, the thai tea always tastes ten times sweeter than the one in Westminster. I also don’t like that the grass jelly is in tiny bits; it makes it unenjoyable as a topping. I also enjoy the jasmine milk tea from time to time– definitely not as sweet as the thai tea!
As for customer service, I’m always greeted when I walk in and the person who takes my order is always kind. ⁵⁄₅ for service! I’ll definitely come back to try the desserts soon.
[TIPS]
— If you don’t want your drink too sweet, ask for less sweet or extra ice
— Stay away from adding toppings to your drinks, it’s better without any

Not sure why I don’t frequent Snow Monster more often considering its so close by but I came with my boyfriend for the first time a couple days ago, and wow. their shaved snow is A M A Z I N G.
We ordered the green tea snow with strawberries, mochi and condensed milk. It was about $ 6 for decent amount of yummy snow. The texture was incredibly soft and every bite just melts in your mouth. Also, I really liked how the snow didn’t taste watery or flavorless even once we got into the middle but the taste was consistently sweet and full of green tea flavor all around. The mochi was soft and chewy while the strawberries added its own sweetness. It was interesting how the snow didn’t melt on the plate but kept its consistency… the shaved snow at Class 302 melts if you don’t eat it quickly enough. So I definitely appreciated that because I liked taking my time, enjoying each and every bite :) Probably one of the best shaved snows I’ve had!
I’ve also tried their jasmine milk tea which was light, refreshing with a sweet floral taste to it while their boba is soft and chewy. The jars are cute but its definitely a lot bigger than I had imagined.
I definitely need to come back to try their macaron ice cream sandwiches… I’ve always seen pictures and I wasn’t that interested but seeing the macarons in person changed my mind. They are actually alot bigger in person and the presentation is so on point. Cant wait to try them!
Ample amount of seats inside. you order first then they’ll bring out your sweet treat to you :)

Happy Friday!
«I want that jar!»
First time I saw SM on social media, had the must-​get! vibes immediately.
* GET — Jasmine Milk Tea jar = buy any of their drinks, add $ 2 to get their reusable jars. Milk tea was creamy and fresh. BUT! For some reason, this place does NOT sell boba — sadness.
* GET — Macaron ice cream sandwich = because SoCal experiences 80+ degrees in February
* YES — Friendly service
* YES — Brick accent wall, wooden décor & cute interiors; Jenga and playing cards available
* YES — Long windows mean lots of natural light
* FYI — No lines or wait when we went
* FYI — Free plaza parking lot = do read the signs, we parked in the no-​meter section for free
* FYI — Accepts credit cards
Recommend~

I love coming to this Snow Monster! They have a variety desserts, it’s close to campus, it’s a great atmosphere to hangout with friends, and it’s open late!
They have a variety of different treats and drinks to choose from and I’ve tried most of them! I think they’re strongest dessert is still their giant macaron ice cream sandwich! The cookies are not too hard or too soft, and they have delicious ice cream flavors that they’re always switching up, so it’s not always just the same 6 flavors. My favorites are the matcha green tea, and the taro flavors.
Like many of their customers, I purchased a snow monster jar from them, and it’s honestly really convenient to have! Aside from being able to refill the jar whenever I bring it back in, I can also use it at home to store juices and teas myself! I love love love their strawberry lemonade, and that’s my usual go-​to drink! As far as their teas go, I’m not a huge fan. If you want good tea, I’d suggest you go down to Cha for Tea and pay the extra few dollars. I can’t attest to their Thai tea, because I’m not a fan in general, but their jasmine milk tea is disappointing. It’s overly milky and sweet, and I really don’t enjoy having more than a sip or two.
All in all I really genuinely enjoy coming to snow monster, and I’ll definitely keep coming for their ice cream! But if I’m in the mood for just a drink, I might just head elsewhere.