The Lucky Ocean Cafe, located on the corner of Miramar and Ocean, appears to be tucked away and easy to overlook until you step inside. Upon entering, you are greeted by the cozy ambience of a calm cafe, and the perfect place to go after school to unwind or finish homework. 

Their menu consists mainly of boba drinks, sandwiches, and a variety of breakfast items. The prices of the items are fair, if not slightly cheaper than other stores on Ocean Ave. Popular items include their Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches and coffee. 

As you step into this neighborly, family-owned business, you might notice the shelves of VHS tapes in the corner, or the countless lottery tickets won stuck to a shelf. In fact, there is a large lottery ticket of $3.5 million won at the Lucky Ocean Cafe, presented front and center by the counter! This cafe is open 12 hours a day during the week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

You may experience slow service due to the small number of employees, it appears, but your food may be ready to go depending on the time you visit because there is rarely anyone else in line. Unfortunately, this cafe is cash-only. However, their service is quite friendly, and you will find a typical cafe selection on the menu combined with a vast variety of different flavors of tea to pick from. 

My drink of choice was a mango fruit tea with regular tapioca boba and mango bursting boba. The beverage itself had a sweet punch of flavor that could instantly wake someone right up. Their boba is chewy and silky to the tongue, in contrast to their popping boba that tasted more like gelatin than the usual bursting boba, which is delicate and filled with a syrupy flavor. The majority of their fruit teas contain real fruit, but the undertone of every boba drink I’ve tried is the same.

Price is a good indicator of quality here. It is affordable, making it the place to go if you are on a tight budget for a meal, or if you just need a quick bite to eat near Riordan. Pia Crosby, sophomore counselor, said, “They do make amazing coffee, and the service is always with a smile.”