As the name suggests, the main focus here is on the tapioca drink, or bubble tea. It’s quite the rage—not just among Chinese-American kids, but also for certain lilywhite grown-ups we know who adore getting jacked up on the mildly sweet, milky teas and their weird, gummy little pearls of tapioca. At Tap House (as it’s known to regulars), some of these can taste artificially sweet; it’s not quite our favorite version in town, even if it does come in the same surreal colors and sealed, cartoony cups. No, we come here instead for the chicken.

Tap House’s chicken nuggets are legendary. They meet all the basic requirements of a snack: not too filling, easy to handle while driving, and thoroughly addictive. It’s all dark meat, meaning there is no skimping on flavor, especially when each piece is judiciously infused with a slightly sweet and spicy seasoning. Each nugget has a juicy interior, and one slightly overcooked end that gives it a sort of sweet, caramelized flavor and satisfying crunch. Better yet, a batch of these bites is under $5; for only a few bucks more, a meal combo comes with rice, stir-fried vegetables, and one of their tapioca drinks.

During the semester, you can eat as late as 3am, but off-season, it’s more like 11:30ish. From its convenient location at the end of the Drag (convenient, that is, if you’re on foot—don’t even try parking around here), Tap House is a shiny, contemporary little den whose free Wi-Fi and caffeine-and-sugar concoctions make for excellent studying. It’s also pearl-spitting distance from Coco’s Café, whose bubble teas we prefer. (But we’re stickin’ with this chicken.)

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