Boba, milk tea, pmt, bubble tea, tapioca, or whatever you call it, the terms all refer to the delicious, chewy tidbits mixed with a flavored milk tea beverage. Being from the Bay Area, I am a self-proclaimed boba expert with my favorite stops being Pekoe, Tpumps, and Fantasia. However, the Los Angeles county sadly does not have access to these cult-favorites. In the five months I've spent living in LA, here is my honest opinion of where you will find the best and worst boba drinks near USC.

1. It's Bobatime

If you ask a random USC student what the most popular boba shop around campus is, they will likely reply with, "It's Bobatime." Bobatime is hype. There, I said it. It's honestly quite whitewashed and their milk teas are watered down. Being mildly lactose intolerant, I suspect that their dairy creamer is made of something else... Nevertheless, the shop is aesthetically pleasing and if you find yourself only able to go to Bobatime, get the Classic Black Milk Tea. A large pearl milk tea costs $4.25 which is reasonably priced. Rating: 2.5/5 stars

2. Cup O' Joy

This place is more of a restaurant so it sort of justifies their milk teas being mediocre. Their regular milk tea is also watered down. However, their tapioca pearls alone are soft and the best around campus so far. A large pearl milk tea costs about $4.65. Rating: 2/5 stars

3. Spudnut's Donuts

When my friend told me to try this donut shop's milk tea, I was skeptical too. But to my surprise, Spudnut's Donuts probably has the best-valued pearl milk tea around USC in my opinion. A large milk tea costs only $4.00 and it's pretty good! The only downside is that they offer only 4 flavors (the Thai milk tea is also pretty good) given they specialize in donuts.
Rating: 3.5/5

4. Juice n Fruits

This place recently opened so you can swing by for their soft opening. The owners of the shop are USC alumni and are extremely kind. The shop's aesthetics are super cute as they have succulents and the type of decor you'll find at Urban Outfitters. Their tapioca pearls are rather hard to chew and the drinks are quite pricey (about $4.80 for a regular). I recommend the Matcha Milk Tea if you do decide to visit this place.

Rating: 3/5 stars

5. Kung Fu Tea

This is a bonus since it's about a 15 minute drive from campus and not actually "around USC." Still, it deserves a rating because it's super delicious! Kung Fu Tea is located in Ktown and has many customizable options. If you're down to Uber or have a car, I'd recommend this shop. Plus, Hillary Clinton tried the Kung Fu Tea in Queens. Rating: 4/5 stars