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I never knew I passed Anko so many times; the telltale sign was driving and seeing the big ATELIER sign on top. Parking is a tad difficult here, as it's mostly street parking. Thankfully, I had parked and was on the go. I visited with a friend who ordered a Brown Sugar Miso Latte, and this one was SUPER sweet. I had an Iced Latte for myself. The espresso is pushes the edge of boldness, catching a taste just before a hint of bitterness - strong indeed! The creaminess of the milk indeed improves the texture. There are a variety of seating options, and the high tables are a tad skinny - fits a laptop but not a notebook, too, comfortably. It definitely errs on the minimalist side both in decor and coffee. How? The iced latte that was receive had quite a bit of air! Everything else was otherwise for service was otherwise as expected. Order in, order out - smooth, efficient!
Cute little dessert shop! It was so busy when I stopped by around 8pm on a Saturday night. We ordered a Strawberry Mascarpone and a Mango shaved ice to share. They are pretty big! The strawberry mascarpone was delicious and tasted natural! I was very surprised how good it was! The mango was a bit too syrupy for me. Even though the mango tasted fresh, I don't think it works as well for a sweet dessert. My friend also got the cloud latte and it was yummy. It was such a fun aster dinner spot to hang out.
This is based strictly on their shaved ice, and it is definitely 5 star worthy. We got the strawberry shaved ice, and it was SO GOOD. I mean, how good can shaved ice be, but they make it so tasty and even inside there are chunks of strawberries and the ice just melts in your mouth. I'm scared how many calories there are in that bowl, but trust me, it is worth the calories. I'd love to go back and try other items. I'm a sucker for a good boonguhpang (taiyaki), and theirs looks bomb. The space was packed when we got there on Sat afternoon. It is very airy and bright, simple decor. Also it is loud. Since it was crowded in the store when we were there, but also the acoustics of the place is conducive to ringing and echoing. Probably since they have concrete floor too. There were people studying in the communal table though, I guess it wasn't too loud for them. Also, it does take some time to get the order. I can totally understand since they make it really perfect, but just be aware you'll have to wait good 10-15min, maybe more when it is busy.
Delicious taiyaki -- four big pieces for $12! I think that's really fair. We got the red bean and custard flavors, yummy! We thought the red bean would be more of a paste, but I didn't mind (although my partner would've preferred a paste). They were warm and yummy. I also ordered a matcha cloud, better known as a matcha cream top. It was really good. Big fan, would definitely be back. Unfortunately did not get to try the shaved ice but I need to come back for that. The service was kind, but it was also the end of the night so I could tell she was tired. The place was popping though, for good reason. Warm wood tones and a good amount of seating. I will definitely be back during the day for some WFH-ing. I liked the vibes. I think the parking situation is iffy but we got street parking so just go at the right time of day, I guess.
Stopped by because of a pop up and I enjoyed coming into this space. My friend and I were the first ones to enter and was welcomed by kind and friendly staff. I ordered the matcha and the taiyaki and they were both as equally as delicious. The matcha was creamy and earthy with the perfect amount of sweet. The taiyaki was fresh, made to order and crispy. I ordered both red bean and lemon custard flavor and I loved it! The space is small but there is plenty of seats if you order on time. This location is never busy so to see so many people and so busy, I was happy to see this small business booming! All in all i would definitely return to order more matcha and try more delicious items on the menu!
Paid almost $9 for the matcha cloud and did not think it met my standard for a $9 drink. The drink came in a small cup. It was hard to taste any matcha since the drink was mostly diluted with milk. The "cloud" itself was also watery and did not have the thick consistency. The place itself was really nice and has lots of seating.
Anko is such a cute dessert spot! Their shaved ices are perfectly perfected to melt in your mouth with great flavor. We have a whole lot of coffee shops in KTown and a whole lot of dessert spots, too. Anko stands out a bit among the rest though, despite it's near mirror image minimalist chic wood look inside & unassuming shop from the outside. They have great coffees, matcha drinks and but what makes Anko special is their dessert. Truly their bingsoo is a great size and may just be the best there is in Koreatown. Perfect level of sweetness dissipating along with the gentle flakes of the shaved iced. You'll find it's a bit sweeter here than other shops (while still staying mild) as they seem to use a bit more condensed milk compared to other patbingsu spots. I know they have taiyaki, as well, but I am usually just ordering the Black Sesame Bingsoo when I dine here. I've done the Black Sesame the most but also love the mango, matcha, add some red bean...it's just good bingsu here. Come for the bingsoo desserts ~ worth a few minutes wait and such a satisfying end to any night.
If I ever wanted to open a coffee shop type of place, I would want it to be setup exactly like Anko. I just love how simply perfect they arranged this place. It sets the tone for a great experience and everything they do, reflects it. They have all kinds of coffee drinks, smoothies, sparkling drinks, tea, shaved ice, and pastries. The staff is very nice and professional. You can tell they take a lot of pride in the place, and it shows in everything they do! Parking is a challenge, but I found a place about a block away, so that's not too bad at all. Worth it!
Stellar spot! I mean this as a compliment: the shaved ice looks like an A.I. image. It looks so perfect and unbelievable. It doesn't look real. The snow was absolutely the best. A sleeper highlight was the chocolate chip cookie. Warmed up, it was delicious and I'm glad I tried it along with the ice
The menu is decent here, but not super expansive in terms of flavorings. From the set up that's is visible, it's clear that they care a lot about the quality of the coffee pours and the matcha making process. They have plenty of seating for people who are studying. The food option here is just the taiyaki, but the cafe is calm and parking is easy.
had to drop by for a sweet treat after having dinner in ktown. the taiyaki is made to order and the batter is made with some kind of mochi flour that gives it a really nice chew. the custard filling was perfectly sweet and enough to spill out of the fish. and the strawberry mascarpone bingsu was one of the better bingsus i've had. great ratio of fruit and milk flavors
Very affordable price point for some quality dessert (bingsoo, taiyaki, drinks) and a comfortable interior. Great option for catching up with friends! All the bingsoo is $11 and you get 4 taiyakis for $8, very reasonable. The 4 of us split one bingsoo as a snack, and the texture and flavor were both amazing. read more
The bingsoos are really good, and hUGE. You can definitely share 1 bingsoo with two people, even 3-4 if you don't want a lot. Every bingsoo flavor is pretty good. Try them all. The taiyaki is good too. Cheese filling is surprisingly a lot better than I expected. It's more like mozzarella cheese, not like yellow American cheese. You get 4 but can only choose 2 flavors sadly. Nutella is my go-to as usual, red bean is too boring, and I haven't tried custard yet. Can get busy, but good dessert spot. Valet parking for $4. read more
4 years ago
There are so many dessert places in LA! We found this place that does bingsoo and taiyaki. We got black sesame, mango, and strawberry. Mango was the best out of all 3, and I'd have to rate black sesame last. The taiyaki though!! It's $8 for 4, so $2 each. I've never seen taiyaki like this! It was so good. Crispy on the outside and perfectly chewy on the inside. It's like a taiyaki cone but actually closed and not a cone. It beats somi somi's taiyaki because those ones are smaller and softer. We got the Nutella and banana flavor! Taiyakis we're so fresh that the Nutella melted to the bottom lol read more
I love mango bingsoo, and I knew I had to try this place when I was in the area. We tried the mango bingsoo, and the red bean and custard taiyaki. The shaved ice was so soft and there were multiple layers of mango underneath the top! And not to mention, the ice itself was flavored too (milk flavored I think) - definitely more than meets the eye. And the taiyaki - the dough was so chewy and had such a great bite, and had so much filling in them. The best part is that it wasn't too sweet, which means I stuffed everything down in one go. Probably one of my favorite dessert places in SoCal yet! read more
6 years ago
Disappointed, stopped by on a Sunday after dinner. I was expecting them to have Custard Taiyaki, but they sold out. So we settled for red bean and banana Nutella. The taiyaki was warm and crispy. You can see the lady make them in the front. The strawberry ice was very good and very pretty. The ambiance of this place was very plain and simple and has a huge open space. The back side has wooden stools and tables. I would give this place another try for their sesame shaved ice Overall: Food: 8/10 Cleanliness: 8/10 read more
The Mango Bingsoo is amazing. Perfectly sweet without being tart--the ultimate summer dessert! The portion is smaller compared to other bingsoo places, but the size is perfect for two people to share. The cafe is clean but a bit small. The staff are friendly and the food came out quick. read more
3 years ago
the sweet pumpkin shaved ice was honestly so good, the taiyaki was alright in my opinion (we got cheese and custard i preferred custard). the service here is somewhat ok just not the best so a reduction in one star read more
3 years ago
Best taiyaki I've had in LA! The custard taiyaki was my favorite. Bingsoo was good but I have had better in ktown. read more
out of all the bingsoo places in la, i'd probably say that this would be my favorite spot ~ the quality here is simply unmatched and their taiyaki is the best i've had it does get pretty crowded on the weekends, but it is definitely worth the wait read more
2 years ago
Best Bingsu in LA hands down. The Matcha one was my fave, but didn't get to take a picture because i tore that thang up . Also order the taiyaki if you're hip. Go half and half red bean/nutella banana. read more
Our group ordered strawberry, mango, green tea, and sesame flavors. Four portions were enough to share among 9 to 10 people. My favorite flavors were strawberry and sesame. Children will really enjoy this delicious and refreshing dessert. Really enjoyed our time here and catching up with friends. Highly recommend! read more
6 years ago
If you're like me and get irrationally excited about perfectly round spheres, you'll love Anko! We got the strawberry and it was a cute little fluffy ball topped generously with strawberry syrup, fresh strawberries, and condensed milk. Simple and sweet. Flavor distribution almost all the way to the bottom. Side note: there are a lot of outlets so it looks like a potential study spot! read more
4 years ago
Ice shave grain Order took about 5min Shave ice grain is pretty good if you enjoy cold stuff. I enjoyed mine read more
4 years ago
I'm alway here for taiyaki twice a month. I can say Taiyaki here is the best one I've ever had in LA Bingsoo was so good too This place make me never get bored of Taikayi read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
I first came here to get the taiyaki. There is a choice of custard, nutella, and red bean as the filling. Red bean is traditional so you can't go wrong with that, although I prefer custard myself. They make them fresh to order, so they comes out super hot. Four per order. The outside isn't too crunchy and they should definitely be eaten warm but not right away if possible. 10/10 begging to burn yourself otherwise. Ultimately, I've had better and will opt to get taiyaki from elsewhere. For the price point, the taiyaki was not very memorable. But, their shaved ice is pretty good, for those of you who like cute little cafes with shaved ice! read more
The bingsoo (Korean shaved ice) game in Koreatown is pretty fierce, but Anko does not disappoint! We got the oreo creamcheese bingsoo and the mango bingsoo. Both were very good! The bingsoo in general was very finely ground to perfection, while the layering of the bingsoo was very nice; instead of putting toppings and sauces only on top, the toppings and sauce were in an additional interior layer, which made eating the dessert as equally satisfying as you ate past the top. The oreo creamcheese is good if you enjoy these flavors, but if you do not like things to be too sweet (i.e. "the Asian sweetness level"), this may not be the best choice! The mango was still pretty sweet, but it is more in accordance to the Asian sweetness standard. That being said, both were overall delicious. I also cannot post this review without acknowledging the Mom and Pop nature of Anko. The lady who helped us was working very hard and treated us very politely. Furthermore, the interior design with the wooden seats and tables in one corner made it feel very homey and comfortable to eat in. read more
3 years ago
Local friend brought us here & it provided delicious desserts, tea, nice chill place to talk after dinner. Fresh, big taiyaki was hella good- we had red bean, custard, Nutella & cheese- all were devoured. Also we loved splitting black sesame bingsoo & mango bingsoo. Had a couple friends w us who had never tried any of these Asian desserts- they loved all of it too. Staff were super nice & patient even tho we were annoying & had to be politely kicked out at closing time. We paid for parking in mall next door but others did street parking a few blocks away. read more
4 years ago
Oreo cheesecake and matcha was SO GOOD especially on a hot day! The matcha was very rich and was perfectly sweet. The store was very minimal and aesthetic! read more
4 years ago
5/5 cafe vibes; you get some sun filtering in from two walls of window and quiet lounge music in the background. The portion sizes are not as large as Oakobing but what they don't have in size they make up for in flavor! The strawberry had ample amounts of fruit pieces but the syrup/jam was just sweet enough that the condensed milk isn't super necessary for the whole portion. And you'll find more fruit inside as well! Caution for those in a hurry, Anko is relatively small so it took a while for the order to arrive to our table. read more
Very cute dessert place in Ktown! I think it's a great alternative to the ever busy Oakobing. Besides shaved ice, they offer different types of beverages and taiyaki. We ordered the mango shaved ice. It looks small, but surprisingly there is quite a bit! The shaved ice is super creamy, but not too sweet. I thought the mango was so good! Everything was refreshing on a hot day. A cute place to share shaved ice with a friend or you so. read more
4 years ago
Hands down the best shaved ice in LA. The black sesame anko is really good if you don't have much of a sweet tooth. The mochi on it wasn't overly chewy and soft like other mochi's and had a really interesting texture. Would come back again to try their other flavors! read more
4 years ago
Have been wanting to come here for dessert for so long and finally made it! I had higher expectations because it is always compared to a shaved ice spot I love, also in ktown. I felt the shaved ice was more dense and not as fluffy compared to other places I've been to. However the flavor was nice, not too sweet so I felt less guilty eating this The interior is super nice and clean and the staff was patient with us since we came in pretty late and overstayed their hours lol read more
3 years ago
The strawberry bingsoo was so delicious, especially the shaved ice it was so milky. I would def come again but would love to try the other flavours. read more
The five stars is for their taiyaki! Literally best taiyaki I've had out of all the places I've tried in k-town. And it's so cheap! It's like $8 for 4 pieces! I love the custard one and second favorite would be the Nutella and banana. They make them fresh to order so it's hot, crispy on the outside and the inside has the perfect Mochi like texture with whatever filling you choose. I can literally eat three of these in one sitting even after a big dinner. That's how good they are! read more
5 years ago
Review for their taiyaki: This is the best place to get taiyaki. My bf and I got 2 custard and 2 redbean and there was so much fillings !!! I believe it was 4 for $8? With the weather getting colder, this is the perfect dessert that warms your soul. I will def be back in the cold fall and winter nights :) Parking is hard to find tho. You gotta look for street parking which is almost impossible. read more
One of the best places to get Taiyaki and bingsoo in Ktown! There's a lot of seating but they can get very busy. Be prepared to wait 15+ minutes for your Taiyaki and bingsoo if they're busy. It's definitely worth it! Will be coming back to try more flavors! read more
Deliciousssss !!! A cute cafe in Koreatown. Plenty of indoor seating with high top/bar style tables and stools lining the windows. Strawberry shaved ice I really liked the portion of the shaved ice here. It was the perfect amount to share between 2 people. The ice is flaky and creamy, we didn't even need to pour the condensed milk. It was perfectly sweet as is. Taiyaki - 4 pieces for $8 Flavors available: red bean, custard, Nutella & banana (& maybe a 4th flavor? But I forget) We really wanted the custard but they were out so we got half red bean and half Nutella & banana. Guys... this is the best taiyaki I've ever had. The outside is so crisp and the inside was almost a mochi texture!! The banana aroma and taste permeates the entire fish even before you get to the filling. Hahah. It was a beautiful experience. I'll have to come back for the custard! read more
4 years ago
Solid little shaved ice spot with cute interior with plenty of seating. We got the black sesame flavor, which seems to be a popular flavor and it was amazing! The black sesame permeated through the entire ice which was nice and it was topped with these delightful mochi pieces. Don't skip on the side of black sesame condensed milk! Adds a ton of flavor. Street parking only! read more
2 years ago
Came here from Yelp before my flight back to the bay, and the owner was really nice. The iced matcha latte is light and not overly sweet . I loved the taiyaki as well. I think this would be a great study spot because it's not too loud either and has many outlets. read more
I came to Anko on a Friday night and it was way too loud and the ambiance wasn't what I expected. I could barely hear my own voice but it was too late to move to another place since I had already paid $2 for valet parking. I ordered an iced hojicha latte, which I really enjoyed along with some custard/nutella taiyaki's. You get 4 in one order so it's great for sharing! I'll probably come back for a takeout order, not sure if I'd want to stay for indoor dining again unless the cafe is empty. The seats were just very uncomfortable and it was too hectic for me to enjoy my desserts. read more
2 years ago
Was craving for mango shaved ice and this place popped up :) theres valet parking inside the parking plaza to the right or you can park inside the market's parking structure for free at the corner and walk. First impression was nice, clean and modern looking. Menu is cute and simple but really wished they put some work into it and instead of having simple emojis, have the actual pictures of the shaved ice would help. But I already saw the pics from Yelp so went straight for the mango shaved ice :) also ordered the sesame shaved ice and taiyaki - natella and banana fillings. First bite of the mango shaved ice was heaven...sweet the way I like it. It also came w condensed milk which I didn't understand initially because the mango syrup was already really sweet but when i got into the mango pieces...awww I need the condense milk. The mango was not ripe and quit sour. I almost wished there weren't any actual mangos lol. The black sesame was good but thought the red beans could be softer. The taiyaki was decent but thought they could add more fillings lol. Overall: for this price point i expected more. Also the Internet was insanely slow and there's like 5 customers here. Service was nice. 3.5 stars! read more
More info about Anko
400 S Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90020
Koreatown, Wilshire Center
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(213) 568-3657
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Ask the Community - Anko
Is there yeast in the taiyaki?
Is the shaved ice toppings gluten free? I'm okay to have soybean flour and glutinous rice flour just not regular wheat.
Not gluten free. Most Korean places aren't
Do they still have a soy milk based shaved ice for vegans? Is it just soy milk and sugar or what is in it? Can they do that with injeolmi topping?
No unfortunately not. Just dairy. I wish they did!
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Anko - desserts - Updated July 2026
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