BAMBU

Drink desserts? Dessert drinks? Whatever you want to call it, this Bambu location is modern, bright, and cheery. The space is larger than other Bambu locations and don’t mistaken the place next door for this wonderful spot. The lines are usually very long here but lucky at times that drinks are ready in just a few minutes time.
Somehow I think that the drinks here are better and more consistent than the other locations. Luckily the drinks are numbered and it makes ordering for a group of people at once easy. My favorites are the Bambu special (longan!) and Vietnamese coffee. Their menu is quite extensive and you can even try to mix it up a bit by swapping drink toppings around.

I can’t believe the absurdity that I was just in. Online, Bambu listed that their closing time is 11:30, so I came around 10:15. When I got there I waited at the counter for about 15 minutes, then a girl came out and I tried to get her attention but she completely neglected me. I assumed she was busy so I waited patiently cause I understand, but after 15 more minutes I had to call her. When she came out I asked if I could order and she said they close at 10:30. Ok. First of all, they need to update the website so that customers know. Secondly, the girl should’ve acknowledged a customer standing there needing something. Lastly, she should’ve informed me that they’re closed when she saw me standing. Wasted thirty or more minutes, horrible customer service. Don’t get me wrong I love their drinks and che, but I can’t deal with horrible customer service.

Love the place. great variety of drinks. Friendly staff. Quick service
Parking was a bit of problem. Other that, overall experience was good.
I would love to come back again.

I’m so addicted to their dessert drink. Always order dessert No.6, it comes with a bunch of jelly and fruit, mix with coconut milk. Tastes so good.

My favorite place to get some smoothies whenever I go to Kim Son Buffet! This place used to be small but they moved into the space next to it so now it’s big! The interior is really nice and I love it. They also have couches that you can sit down and chill out with friends. I always get their smoothies like the taro. Their Vietnamese desserts is really good too! But today I decided to try their milk tea which is taro milk tea. So yummy. Sorry I’m obsessed with taro. x) definitely coming back here again. The staff are really friendly and nice.

Who loves Vietnamese Che? This is a hip new way to eat/​drink or slurp it. Bambu is a step up from bumble drinks because they mix in ingredients found in Vietnanese che. My favorite drink is the #1 special… I was quite surprised because I never thought the ingredients would mix well. It’s very refreshing, and not too heavy. Many of the other drinks are more typical of Che… Coconut milk, red bean, sweet tofu, tapioca, etc. I really love this location because they’re consistent with their drinks. I’ve tried some California locations that are hit or miss in terms of balance and sweetness. What I don’t love… Cash only. Seriously people, step it up… We all know the cash business is giving you a tax loophole… If you’re going to do that, bring down the price of your drinks.

Not exactly my favorite neighborhood to hangout in (because I don’t enjoy getting run over), but I must say the green tea shaved ice cream is something to be had. Family portion seems large, but it’s not. Do yourself a favor and try some. Top with condensed milk.

Love the shave ice they have at this location. We had green tea shave ice and strawberry flavor shave ice, both were wonderful. Would definitely recommend this place :).

This by far the best Asian dessert. It’s super authentic and you can make your own. I normally order # 1 because it’s simple and refreshing. It’s has coconut, basil seeds and green pandan (chewy) with like a coconut juice I think. Other ones have coconut milk with I’m okay with just a bit to heavy for me. The service was real quick and friendly.

For a guaranteed delightfully delicious sweet fix or post-​Chinatown dining dessert, come over to Bambu in the Kim Son shopping plaza on Bellaire. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate getting my drink/​dessert fixes here all year round, whether in scorching summer heat or the infrequent ice cold winter days. Bambu is always a winner in my book!
I’m an adventurous foodie so I will almost always try something different at least once. I don’t think I’ve tried all the different items on the menu, but perhaps about 75% of them! If you are needing a caffeine fix, then you can get the satisfying and potently delicious iced Vietnamese coffee (café sua da). There are a plethora of milk teas, hot/​iced/​blended drinks, fruit smoothies, and fruit juices available. For drinks, I prefer the almond and jasmine milk teas. As for the coffee drinks, I prefer the iced VN coffee and the iced hazelnut mocha.
Additionally, most people enjoy the variety of made-​to-​order che (Vietnamese sweet dessert) with coconut milk, tropical fruits, jellies, pudding and sweet beans. You can order from their menu or customize your own drink/​dessert. Che is a refreshingly light and sweet dessert I get often during Houston’s hot and humid summers. My personal favorites for che are:
#1) Bambu special (coconut juice, longan, basil seeds, young coconut meat, pandan jelly)
#3) Che 3 mau (red, white & mung beans, taro, pandan jelly, coconut milk)
#4) Che suong sau hat luu (red tapioca, mung bean, grass & pandan jelly, coconut juice)
#6) Che trai cay (lychee, longan, red tapioca, palm seed, jackfruit, pandan jelly, coconut)
With such a large variety of dessert/​drink options, you are bound to find something to your liking. This larger location has plenty of seating for small and large groups. The shopping plaza has a large parking lot but it can get chaotic at times on the weekends, especially if there is a wedding/​special event at Kim Son. Bambu has continually been a crowd pleaser among my relatives, friends, and out of town guests whenever we’re out shopping or feasting in Chinatown. Visit Bambu for friendly service and affordable drinks/​desserts!

Love love love this place! I wish we had one in New Orleans! Suong Xa Hot Luu is my go to dessert! Its a vamped up version of what I had as a kid. the Hot Luu is crunchy as it should be! I don’t like when its not crunchy! It makes a difference with that texture difference.
It’s clean place with plenty of seating areas. Bathrooms are clean as well. Tho… there are no paper towels in bathrooms but thats okay too. I hope I can get more when I come back!

I love Bambu, our at least the drinks I have tried. I love the number1, the number 5 and 6. Number one is my favorite with the basil seeds but my guys is the number 6. So when he goes and brings me back something it’s always the number 6. I’m a happy girl. The mix of ice, coconut milk, mung beans, jello and stuff is just incredible.

Bubba tea here is fresh & good quality just maybe the service cashier girl needs to be more friendly verses acts to cool. I hate it when they do that too cool for me. But the bubba is good I will be back hopefully I get someone else friendlier…

The fruit yogurt slush is delicious! But only at the Kim Son Bellaire and HK 5 locations. I tried the fountains but that was disgusting.

Don’t really like che here but gotta say shaved ice was so delicious! I prefer this over Nu’s. The price is very similar to Nu’s but larger portion.

I love me some Bambu! The drinks always come out fresh and flavorful. It’s been a long time since I came to this location because I’m always getting some milk tea and don’t really want something fruity. I was with my brother and mommy that day and the little bro was craving for some bambu special; so we ended up here around 9:30pm. The line was long, but it moved quickly. The cashier was super friendly and sweet. She had to deal with a huge crowd, but was still holding a bright smile. What a trooper!
BAMBU SPECIAL– fresh coconut juice with longan, basil seed, coconut meat and pandan jelly
This drink was so good! Everything was so fresh and flavorful. I love that the jelly didn’t all just stick together in a clump and that the longan was soft when you bit into it. This drink is so refreshing.
CHE TRAI CAY– coconut milk with jello, lychee, longan, jackfruit, palm seed, red tapioca, coconut meat and pandan jelly
What I love about this drink is that it’s so fruity and filled with so many goodies. Each fruit brings a different taste and texture to the drink and everything tastes so good together. It’s all so fresh and yummy.
BASIL SEED FRUIT TEA– basil seed, kiwi, mango, strawberry, and tea
I ordered this drink by looking at the picture, but I couldn’t tell which fruits were in it, but I wanted to try it. My drink came out and there was kiwi in it and I’m deathly allergic to anything kiwi; so I immediately brought it to their attention and the cashier was super friendly and apologized. She said she should’ve told me the fruits it contained. It was not her fault! They made me a new one and handed it to me with a smile as if it was their pleasure to fix my drink. I absolutely love this fruit tea. It’s so good. The tea is a bit bitter, but the fruits definitely sweeten up the taste. It was the perfect combo of adding fruits into a tea as a sweetener.
Service was great! Drinks were awesome! Ambiance was fresh! I love it. I’ll definitely be coming by more often.

My friends/​family/​kids love this place. I first encountered Bambu in California. I was so excited/​happy when they started to open up locations in Houston. It is a great place to visit anytime of the day.
Bambu has a great variety of desserts, coffee, milk teas, smoothies, etc. I have had a large number of things from their menu. I love their Vietnamese coffee, red bean smoothie, shaved ice, Bambu dessert #4 Che 3 mau (sweet bean/​jelly) combo.
Sometimes the parking lot can get crowded. They expanded/​moved last year to a bigger store/​corner. So it has plenty of room for big groups of people.
If you haven’t tried Bambu, I would visit. They are friendly, offer a big menu with decent prices.

Pretty good, I like to come here every now and then. This location is always crowded on the weekends so space gets a little tight which I don’t like. I normally order the Suong Sa Hat Luu Banh Lot or I’ll do the Bambu Special add Hat Luu, just depends on my mood. I like their new addition of the shaved flavored ice. Overall, good place to come for dessert every now and then.

From service to tapioca the place was legit. I will be coming back yes it is one of the best in Houston so far I still have a few to go but the Thai tea was on point décor was awesome as well nice tv and seats

I and my friends love this place, it’s nice and carries variety of che (sweet drink), smoothies, milk teas and especially the shaved-​ice-​like-​ice-​cream. Oh man, I love their ice cream, especially the yogurt flavor, yummy. Top it off with some red beans and lychee, then bam, you’re in heave, trust me! My friends a big fan of their Bambu special and Che 3 mau, these are their must-​order whenever we visit the store.
The store is big and nice and has plenty of room for a big group of friends so no worry to find a good spot. They also have patio tables but I would not recommend sit there in this winter weather though.
Although there are a lot of hang out places in this same plaza, but I would say Bambu is the best one due to their friendly service, big menu and affordable price. Go for it, you will have a good time!

I may be biased as I have been to a BAMBU in Dallas, Atlanta, Las Vegas, somewhere in Orange County, etc.
This place was no different and I left a happy man. I always get the Che Thap Cam, and this place made it exactly as I remembered.
Environment was clean and inviting. Very new and chic.
Give it a try, and decide for yourself. This one, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

This is my favorite place to get some bambu. Every other place in Houston are just sub par at the least. I usually get the bambu special or the che trai cay. They’re always flavorful and have plenty of fruits unlike other locations where they will charge more, but give less. This place is the place to go if you don’t want them to skimp you out on your money.
The interior is so cute after the renovations. It’s a lot spacier and looks very modern and chic. I’ve met up with some friends here before and they always have good things to say about this place. I’ll drive a farther distance if I’m craving from some bambu. I’ve learned my lesson never to go to other locations no matter how close they are.

First tried this chain in Seattle and have really enjoyed it since. It’s not necessarily bubble tea, though they have it. I usually get some kind of Vietnamese inspired fruit dessert: usually something that roughly translates to «fruit special» and have been happy every time. It’s definitely on the more expensive side for Vietnamese foods/​desserts, but it sure is tasty.

Yummy! So, if you dig through all my reviews, you will see that I am a RACIST! hahaha So immediately, when I walked in I expected to get stared at and treated differently for not being Asian. Not the case! The cash register girl was so friendly and nice. I ordered the ICED CAFE MOCHA. It was sooooo good! I added the tapioca balls to «fit in», but it was not my thing. I don’t know what to do with them. You can get it without, though.
The place is so cute and clean and bright! Drinks average about $ 4 and are VERY good! :)

Didn’t realize there was a BAMBU here until I was driving around waiting for appointment, so decided to stop in. This location is a lot bigger and has plenty of seating.
I got the #1 BAMBU Special which consists of Coconut, pandan jelly, longan, basil seed — which is always good and fresh
I’m glad they got a location here now, because I’m always around this area, when in town.

Since I don’t live in Houston, my brother (who lives in Houston) had brought me some when he came home. I instantly fell in love with the dessert.
So the next time I was in Houston, I had to stop in to grab some before heading back home.
I always get the #6 — Chè trái cây — Lychee, longan, red tapioca, jackfruit, palm seed, pandan jelly, jello, young coconut. Such a great combination of all sorts of fruits I love. We also ordered a couple others and a mocha for my son.
It’s a nice place you can sit inside or outside and eat/​drink your dessert.
I definitely would refer Bambu and would bring my out of town friends and families. a

So glad they expanded. The old location was so small we always had to take our drinks to go. This spot is less cramped with plenty of seating. There are a few new drinks, but the che menu is the same as before.
We generally get either the #1– coconut juice, young coconut meat, pandan, basil seeds & lychee #6– pandan, mixed asian fruit with coconut milk, or #10 coconut milk with grass jelly (can’t remember all the ingredients). It all depends one what we are craving that day. My personal favorite is #6 because of all the exotic Asian fruits. Haven’t really tried any of their smoothies or coffees. Their fruit green tea is strong with bits of fruit in it.
Free wifi with password at register. Accepts both cash and cards. Located in the Kim Son shopping center.

Oh thank goodness I have found my 1 true love. Yup. I found my favorite dessert y’all. I am standing on a tall building and I’m shouting this from the virtual Unilocal rooftops: I LOVE DURIAN SHAVED ICE!
After dinner, we all want something sweet, cold and refreshing. I’ve come here after a crawfish dinner, Afghan dinner and even during errands. I will go out of my way and make excuses to line up for Bambu’s durian shaved ice.
I don’t know how they make it, and I don’t care. All I know is that the durian flavor is perfect and my new favorite sides are the coconut and mango.
Don’t let the long line deter you. You want some shaved ice. You want to come here. It’s so good!
I wish they had a punch card system or member rewards. Cuz I’m so down with this place!

A friend introduced me to Bambu and now I get cravings for it all the time! I first went to their old location which was pretty tiny, but cozy. I like their new location better as it is bigger but sometimes during busy hours it can be hard to find a table. This place is very interesting because you will always find a mixture of older and younger crowds in the same place.
I always order the #1 Bambu special which contains coconut, pandan jelly, longan, and basil seeds. It always tastes so fresh as well as refreshingly sweet if I don’t feel like drinking sugary bubble tea. I have never tried any of their bubble teas so I’m not sure what that is like. The only thing is that I wish each chain is consistent. Every time I come here, my dessert drink is always on point, however, their location on Richmond (which is closer to me), never tastes the same as this location. It disappoints me because that means I have to drive all the way to Chinatown just to get my craving! Also note that this place is $ 8 minimum for credit cards which is basically 2 drinks and they do not have punch cards.

LOVE this new location! It’s super big with lots of seating options, and the décor is just so much cuter and lively than other locations I’ve visited. The drink quality is amazing, and the staff are very friendly. They even let me substitute out various toppings in my drink at no extra charge.
I am a diehard fan of the #2 Che Signature Dessert (Chè thp cm), which consists of red/​white/​green (aka mung) bean, taro, pandan jelly, pearl, and combo jelly. So few places offer mung bean as a topping, so the fact that I can always find it here at Bambu is going to make me a lifelong customer! Another topping that I can almost never find is pink tapioca, but they have that here too! What more could I ask for?

Whoa! I guess this location is not as popular as the other on in Hong Kong City Mall due to the lack of reviews. And honestly, I didn’t even know they had a location in HKCM because I rarely go inside. This location, on the other hand, I’ve seen plenty due to the fact that it’s right next to Kim Son and Seoul house.
So me and some friends went to have Dim Sum at Ocean Palace and we wanted some dessert. A friend suggested that we go to Bambu and I’ve always wanted to try this place anyway. So we went inside the mall, but for whatever reason, that one location was closed. So we hopped in the car and took the drive to this location.
There was a line and only one cashier. But the line moved quickly. That was a good sign. I didn’t know what I wanted because everything in the pictures looked good to me. So when my turn came, I just asked the cashier what’s good. She asked if I wanted tea or dessert. I told her I wanted dessert and she suggested #1, #2, and #6. That’s the Bambu special, the Chè thp cm (combination), and the Chè trái cây for you. And yes, I totally copied and pasted that from the website. Those options all sounded good to me but I decided to go with #1 because, well, it was special.
When I got my drink and I sucked on that straw and the coconut meat went down throat along with the sweet, cold, drink; I was happy. It was so good and refreshing. Two of my friends also got the same thing, but one person actually didn’t like it. He said that the flavor was kind of weird for him. Turned out, he didn’t like the coconut (Not sure if him being non-​Asian played a factor but he didn’t like it). A couple other friends got the raspberry tea and the hazelnut mocha. They weren’t too adventurous with the different drinks so they stuck with something they knew they would like (Again, they weren’t Asians.) One girl finished her Bambu special and decided to get a second drink and opted for the avocado smoothie. That was also so good. If you love avocado, definitely try that!
The whole time we were there, the line never stopped forming. People came and went but the place never really got super packed. A lot of people took their drinks to go, a lot stayed and kind of chilled like we did. After all, they do offer free wi-​fi and they have a really nice place to kind of lounge and relax, and they have a couple of TVs. Bambu is definitely a great place to go for dessert and also to hang out. Much better than going to a Starbucks for sure. I will definitely be back to try all the other drinks, desserts, and smoothies that they have to offer.