Hanabusa Cafe

The food was very yummy, but there is a limited menu for food. Not sure why my matcha latte was in a smaller mug than some of the other drinks that I saw. I felt a little shorted. We tried several types of pancakes: matcha, custard, & nutella, & they were all delicious. It does take a while before you get your food though, so come with patience! We went as soon as they opened and not long after we sat down, there was a line outside waiting to come in and order.It would really help if they had another person working to make the pancakes. Also, the seating area is a bit small, so they don't let people order until there is a table available. Just be prepared to wait a bit.

Would recommend the pancakes just to cross it off a list but overall, they just taste like overpriced sponge cakes that you could get for $1 in Chinatown. They were good, but not $14 good. I think we went in with too much of a high expectation when the $2.50 for "extra fruit" was even smaller, placed inside a little sauce container. The picture displayed is with the "extra fruit."The worst part were the drinks. I can't say anything for the matcha because the menu was placed separately from the other menus you see when you walk in. But the fruit teas were severely watered down. They tasted like water with a hint of fruit. Never wasted a drink until today.Ambiance is cute. Service is decent, but would not come here again.

Enjoyed these fluffy pancakes and it really brought me back to the ones I had in Japan!I ordered the taro souffle pancake and matcha latte. The pancakes were nice and fluffy and chewy and jiggly. The taro sauce had great flavor and was strong enough to not be too light/bland. It was surprisingly filling, given how airy the pancakes are. However, I think next time I'd get matcha sauce, so it can cut the sweetness of the dish.The matcha latte was good, no complaints. However, I've had better drinks at matcha-dedicated establishments; so, I'd say to skip the latte here unless you really want it.Came on a Sunday morning for brunch, and wow I knew I'd have to wait but it took slightly longer than I thought! There was already a small line before opening. It got far worse by the time I left. Since the space is small and it takes a while to make the soufflé pancakes (roughly 20-30min, especially if there's people ahead of you), you may find yourself waiting a while to both get seated and get served your food. Don't come hungry!

I plan to stop by on Monday, but they are closed on Labor Day. I stopped by on the last day of my trip for a quick snack. I ordered the original which cost $14, the price was great, cheaper than the souffle pancake that I had in NY, but their taste way better since they have egg flavor. This taste like the sponge cake but maybe more softer than the one you buy in asian bakery, not too sweet, but they turned the temperature too high, that the bottom was brown instead golden yellow and the inside was still not fully cooked yet. It tastes like a pancake but thicker and softer.

FINALLY got to cross this off my list! I've always wanted to try Japanese soufflé pancakes! This cute cafe is located in the heart of the Loop. Parking is scarce but you may be lucky to find street parking. Not many people there considering we went midday on a Monday.To drink, I ordered the matcha latte iced and it was pretty good. Tasted high quality and it wasn't overly sweet. I ended up going for the taro pancakes which were very good! It's like you're eating a cloud - you don't even have to chew lol. The taro cream is rich but not overpowering. The caramel drizzle is a nice touch as well. You can skip the furikake fries - they literally tasted like McDonald's fries with barely any furikake on it. Overall it's a super cute aesthetic spot to check out!

The soufflé pancakes are still as heavenly as I remembered. The experience of wait during the weekend is, however, overwhelming. I was lucky enough to get a table without waiting in the rain, but the wait for my pancake after I made the order was 40+ minutes. They did inform me about the 30-min wait for the pancake when I made the order, but it turned out to be 41 minutes. Lol. As I was leaving, I overheard those at the next table mentioning about the 50-min wait for their food. As for the space itself, it does have a cute design, but a little...aged, and a bit dark inside as well. Overall, I'd still recommend their pancake if you can come on a weekday ;p

We came on a Friday morning and there was a line. We waited about 45 minutes, they have minimal seating and seemed understaffed so def expect a wait. I got a matcha latte which was really good! We shared the matcha and custard pancakes between 4 people and it was the perfect amount if you don't want to be stuffed. The pancakes were fluffy and the cream was really good. Def worth the wait!It did seem like they were out of a lot of menu items, and you had to order before you sat down. Wish they let people sit instead of being outside in line. If you come during busy hours expect some things to not be available like ramen, certain drinks, side dishes. Overall the pancakes were really good tho and the inside was super cute!

Took a quick trip to Hanabusa before they closed for the day. There were quite a few things that they didn't have, but it was about 30 minutes to close. We got the taro pancake to share and we ate it all. The pancake was soft and fluffy! It wasn't too sweet and that's always a plus. Staff was great and the place was clean! Can't wait to visit again when I'm back in town.

Stopped by after visiting the Art Institute when my daughter was in town. I ordered the pancakes and they were yummy. My daughter and her friend ordered a drink after me and there was some drama about it so that kind of soured the experience for her. They weren't busy but the pancakes take a bit to cook (& they let you know that up front). Definitely worth trying but one order was enough for a snack for the three of us.

Love these pancakes and this restaurant. The staff take such care to make these super light and fluffy masterpieces.