I LOVE HAMADA-YA! One of the many dessert places that I like to get my soft servings from and custard pudding. This little cute bakery is located inside Mitsuwa Marketplace on Culver Street. The market that is right next to Diaso, giving you the opportunity to have your share of Japanese culture. OH MAN! I've tried the green tea soft serve and the mixture of half vanilla and green tea soft serve. Honestly, you can not go wrong either way. If you decide to go hard by getting only the matcha green tea then you can taste how great and powerful the flavor lands onto your tongue. SO YUMMY! If you decide to go half and half then you can see that the vanilla really goes well with the green tea. It actually makes the green tea lighter if you want the flavor to be tone down a bit. What I love about this location is that they serve your soft serve ice cream with Cinnamon Toast Crunch! Like way to go! This actually gives your dessert the grand finale! The CUSTARD PUDDING. OH EM GEE. Love, love, love it. The custard pudding taste like a combination of flan and creme brulee together. So good! Make sure to mix the sauce that is on the bottom to give it the final touch because it will make your taste buds sing! So if you are craving for some soft serve ice cream or maybe some pastries then head on over to Hamada-Ya for some filling. This place never disappoints because you get to enjoy the market, possibly some Japanese food, and dessert all in one location. This place surely spells H-A-P-P-I-N-E-S-S all over it. WOOT! AS ALWAYS, NOM FOR LIFE! read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

I often make the excuse that I need to go get something at Mitsuwa just so I can stop at this tiny bakery stand (located inside Mitsuwa, next to the little food court) and discreetly consume one of their delicious pastries. The young women who work there are always so sweet and friendly. Great customer service every time. I have enjoyed everything I've purchased here. Today I bought a boston cream donut, an oval pastry topped with a sweet chocolate glaze and filled with a gigantic blob of custard. As good as that sounds, the best part (as is the case with all their pastries) was the bread of the pastry. So good. I sometimes even buy a loaf of bread here; it's dense and slightly sweet. There's something extra delicious about Japanese bread. read more

Oh my goodness! Who would have thought a bakery would have the most delicious green tea soft serve?! Following a trail of people carrying cups of green colored stuff, I was led to this bakery. I was dubious at first so I had to ask and sure enough, I was at the right place. I was debating between a twist of vanilla and green tea or just green tea but the friendly guy behind the counter insists that I get the twist to balance out the strong flavor of the green tea with the sweetness of the vanilla. He was right! The two flavors complemented each other perfectly and the graham cereal at the very bottom was a wonderful surprise. The crunch added a welcoming texture to this silky treat. For $3.50, the cup was ginormous! Located inside Mitsuwa, be sure to stop by for an ice-cold delight. You'll be pleased! read more

Cute little food stand bakery store that's located right to the immediate left hand side of the Mitsuwa Supermarket when you walk in past the display promotions going on in the supermarket for the day. I noticed it as I was paying for my groceries at Mitsuwa and was just intrigued to walk over to see what baked goodies they sold there. With its bright flashy green backdrop and orange counters, it's hard NOT to miss this place as it stands out in the neutral color schemes of the entire market. I immediately oohed & awwed at their selections ranging from their Strawberry Cheesecake Danish, large size Cream Puffs, toyed with the idea of a Curry Donut, glanced at their Rich & Creamy Butter Milk Cream rolls, and then contemplated what was in their Crispy Cream Pan and envisioned the sweetness of their Mellon Pan. Then I saw it. Their green tea ice cream soft serve off to the left hand side of the shop. With its delicate swirls of green, topped with soft mochi bites and crispy almonds. It caught my eye and refreshed my tongue and surprise, surprise! sweet cereal at the bottom. Like the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Satisfaction achieved. read more

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I came here to catch up with friends over a snack this rainy weekend. Since it was cold, I had 2 of their savory pastries warmed up - the curry donut and the aji-tama egg donut. The curry donut was okay - nothing too special and it overall felt greasy. However, I really liked the aji-tama egg donut! The soy sauce marinated egg inside was yummy and a great texture contrast from the donut. I would definitely get it next time I'm back. read more

Yelp 2015 Challenge #59 Off to the quest to try as many dessert places in the world! Just totally kidding man. :) TL;DR: Soft serve green tea with green tea tastes! So this was one of my bookmarks and my friend and his girlfriend were passing by on Culver, and I (being me) totally wanted to try it out :P So before we headed back to UCI, we stopped by the Mitsuwa Marketplace to try and check it out. Step inside, look at the food court, and find Hamada-ya. This must be a company that goes along with Mitsuwa, as the Costa Mesa one also has Hamada-ya as well. After running to the front of the line and seeing the large GREEN TEA ICE CREAM SOFT SERVE (okay maybe it wasn't that big) for $4, with 1 topping for $.50, 2 extra toppings for $.80. Mochi. Just mochi. I don't know why, I've been having a huge mochi craze lately haha. Mochi mochi mochi. MOCHI (: Back to the review, the green tea soft serve tasted like green tea, it....eradiated (is that a word. I spelled it wrong didn't I) the green tea matcha flavor. Want a surprise? Cinnamon toast crunch (or something that tastes like it) is found on the bottom as well (: A great complement to the green tea :) That's my review. Short and sweet, like the green tea soft serve. Thanks to my Japanese friend. (: read more

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Tucked away in the depths of a fully stocked Japanese market full of all sorts of anime like goodies, this bakery is a gem waiting to be found. I've tried a few of their top pastries (the sugared donut w/ red bean, melon pan and cream pan), all of which did not tingle my taste buds as 85 still reigns in the region of luscious, moist breads. I will give the other decorate pastries and savory sammies a taste next time. No, I'm here to share the star of the review. THE SUPER CREAMY, SUCKS ALL THE GOODNESS FROM ALL FLAVORS OF GREEN TEA-NESS, AWESOMENESS- THE SOFT SERVE MATCHA GREEN TEA ICE CREAM!!!!! Behold. A place that finally understands what "green tea," should taste like. Unlike other lower grades of ice cream, this will not leave a taste full of artificially generated flower flavonoids in your mouth--this is the real deal. Probably the closest thing to perfection in the art of transferring what is a beverage flavor to a dessert form. But get this. There's a secret to part of this deliciousness. Tucked in the bed of each cup is good amount of honey graham cereal which, surprisingly, compliments the calmness and refreshing taste of the green tea ice cream. Genius!!!! It's a flavor you won't forget. I've visited Hamada-ya twice in less than one week. Me thinks I might need an intervention soon. read more

Great place to grab some pastries, ice cream or simply green tea in the Mitsuwa Marketplace! I was too full after eating at Santouka Ramen but I had to order the Green Tea Cornet to go and an iced green tea. The Green tea Cornet had lots of matcha cream inside, pretty good. The green tea was lightly sweetened and light although I prefer a stronger matcha taste. The staff was soo nice that they let us sample the green tea soft serve ice cream, sooo goood!!! Would definitely go back for the ice cream! read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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This place is such a hidden gem! The best place so far for green tea soft serve! So delicious. I ran into this place when my roommates and I were going to Mitsuwa. I was pleasantly surprised with the taste of the soft served. And the best part of it was the Golden Grahams at the bottom! Soo nostalgic! It's good when you let the cereal sit in the soft we've to make it a little soft. I would also recommend adding red bean and mochi to it. I also saw some pastries. I haven't tried them yet, but the red bean one look delicious. read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Regular green tea soft serve! Delicious! - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Love love loveeeee the green tea soft serve! If only they have sesame too!!! I didn't know they have crushed waffles biscuits underneath the green tea and vanilla ($3.50) goodness! I have to try the toppings next time. This place in inside the Mitsuwa Japanese grocery store and parking is not easy as it was quite crowded. read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Vanilla and green tea soft serve for $3.50 - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

I finally tried their GREEN TEA SOFT SERVE here after getting bakery items a few times. The soft serve is definitely the star at $3.50 AND you get cinnamon toast crunch at the bottom that goes really well with the treat. I've always liked getting "crunchy" things on my frozen yogurts as a texture contrast so this was perfect that it already came along with it. It melts really fast though, but you'll be scarfing down that yummy matcha flavored soft serve pretty quick! Besides the soft serve, their Onion Cheese Bread is also really delicious! I've also tried their various donuts and Bologna Rusk pastry that's overly too crunchy for me. It's amusing that when you get the soft serve, the worker opens up the "wall" behind him/her and it just looks like they're getting your dessert from a locker. Maybe that's why I never noticed there was soft serve served here. But nonetheless, I AM A FAN. read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Green tea to go - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Attention: this review is for one thing only (well, technically two) - Curry Donut! Walks by, glancing at the various sweets they have when the sign next to one oval shaped donut said "Curry donut". This stopped this curry enthusiast in his tracks. Curry .. in a donut? I had to check it out, so I ordered one from the nice girl. Then, she asked if I wanted it warmed up? Whaat, a warm donut filled with warm curry? Yes Please!! If you like Japanese style curry, you have to try it. If you like savory treats, you gotta try this donut. I enjoyed every bite; the combo of sweet n savory was well balanced. The only gripe is that the donut its self was good, but not amazing. But I'll come back for sure! Yum!!! read more

Hamadaya Bakery - curry donut : b4 bite - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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My favorite thing to get here is the coffee jelly drink and the egg bun with a whole egg inside. If you need a grab and go lunch, stop by here, all the pastries are delicious. Oh and it it's something savory, ask them to heat it up and it tastes that much better. read more

A tiny little pit stop inside of Mitsuwa Marketplace that offers drinks, green tea soft serve, breads and yummy baked goods to satisfy your sweet cravings after eating next door at Misasa or Santouka! I picked up a couple of chocolate croissants for my daughter. She is a tough critic when it comes to croissants and confirmed a solid 4 stars for these bad boys. Based on the reviews this place offers a MAD green tea soft serve. I'll definitely return to try this and be the judge for myself! Seating is available in the food court. Friendly service! read more

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I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PLACE!! I came here for the first time yesterday after eating dinner with my cousin. This is comparable to Matcha love in the norcal Mitsuwa in San Jose. I'm so glad I found this place. It's 4 dollars for a small cup that isn't really that small and they fill the bottom of your cup with captain crunch cereal. My cousin and I were able to share one cup and it was more than enough. :) The soft serve was so rich and yummy. How could I ask for anything more? read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Located in Mitsuwa Marketplace! (Near the food court area / cash registers) The green tea soft serve is way up there in my favorite dessert list. The flavor is strong and at the bottom of each cup is a handful of Golden Grahams which adds the perfect crunch to the (alas!) ending of the dessert. (Though they look similar to Cinnamon Toast Crunch, they're much less sweet) Variety of add-ons including small mochi, red bean balls, walnuts, almonds, and more! I would recommend the mochi and almonds. (Red bean is good too but distracted me too much from the delicious green tea flavor) read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Matcha green tea with mochi! - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

I didn't enjoy it here as much as the others. While the location is great and there is tons of easy parking, inside the storefront is dingy and small, no seating, right after the register. Service is super slow and not very enticing. I had a small green tea soft serve and I don't know if its because I am not really a fan of soft serve or green tea (but ordering vanilla seemed boring and I am also not a fan of) but nothing wowed me. Not very sweet, nothing really stood out as needing it in my life again. If you do love soft serve or green tea, maybe this is more for you, I'll pass next time. read more

This bakery is hidden inside Mitsuwa. Keep an eye out for a small shop with a wall of green cabinets , if not, you might miss it! They are really low key, even the soft serve machines are tucked away behind the green cabinets. As an ice cream lover, I have tried a majority of the new and much hyped ice cream/ dessert places in the area. However, none of them compares to this place. I always find myself coming here when I have a craving. The options are simple, but nonetheless delicious. The soft serve comes in three choices: matcha green tea, vanilla, and swirl. Toppings are available for an additional cost but not necessary. I really like the green tea flavor! It's my all time favorite ice cream!!! The golden graham on the bottom is a nice surprise, adding texture without overshadowing the soft serve. Their pastries are also delicious! read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Pocky and Koalas not included - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

The BAD: The only reason I am giving such a low amount of stars is because I've seen flies of various shapes and sizes zooming inside of the glass display. Then once, a fly crawled up into a pasty. Nasty. Those days I did not purchase anything, which was unfortunate because their pastries are really good. Luckily, I have not lately seen bugs inside the display. However, they started wrapping stuff in plastic, probably to avoid this problem. The GOOD: I've tried the soft serve ice cream here, and it is AMAZING. I really was never a fan of froyo but I've always had a soft spot for soft serve. Their iced coffee is halfway decent as well. read more

Hamada Ya is a recently opened bakery near the front of the new Mitsuwa Marketplace in Irvine, CA. I can see it being somewhat overlooked as most people would rush by the small bakery on their way to Santouka in the more high profile food court. They sell a variety of Japanese pastries such as cream pans, fried doughnuts filled with red bean filling and a small assortment of cold sandwiches. I ordered the following items: Sugar and Butter Bun: Slightly better than the cream pan, but I think this could have really benefited from being heated up. It tasted a little stale. Cream Pan: I think the bun I had suffered from being in the case for too long, but it was stale and not very flavorful. The cream inside had a chalky consistency - I was expecting something whipped or creamy instead. Coffee: Not much to say other than it was cheap and mediocre, but you don't get coffee at a bakery expecting it to be too great Green tea drink (frappe): this iced drink was a surprise - it was incredibly good! read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Sugar/Butter Bun - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

What a gem of a bakery! We had a few things and want to come back to try more! Here is what we had: Cream Puff- The outside shell held up well, was not one bit soggy even after a day. The cream was slightly sweet, eggy and a bavarian type of thickness. The outside shell was also slightly sweet and rounds out the whole experience. Melon Pan- Best melon pan I have ever had. It was not dry like alot of other melon pans and reminded me of a cross between the Catonese bolo and Mexican concha. Perfect compromise. The sugar crust outside was just right. Wish I bought more than 1. The mango croissant was ok. Cream was not the same as the cream puff. Skip. read more

I think this tiny store within mitsuwa is underrated. They have the best green tea/vanilla swirl soft serve. Each soft serve comes with cinnamon toast crunch on the bottom and you can always add toppings. The first topping is $0.50 and I usually lean towards the red bean. Everytime I'm craving something sweet this always satisfies my craving! read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Green tea/ vanilla swirl with red bean. I took it after it melted a bit and ate some - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Located inside Mitsuwa, Hamada-ya serves great soft serve and offers a wide variety of pastries. Aside from Cream Pan, this is one of a few places in Orange County that sells melon pan - a Japanese sweet bad covered with crisp cookie dough named after the melon because of its appearance. Hamada-ya offers other sweet pastries like croissants, danishes, and Japanese donuts (an donuts filled with red bean paste). There are also savory items on display such as curry donuts and tuna rolls. For me, the highlight here is the soft serve, which comes in two flavors: vanilla and green tea. Both exhibit a lightly sweet flavor but are extremely soft and creamy in texture. The best part is the crunch from the golden grahams at the bottom of the soft serve. Who knew golden grahams paired so well with soft serve? As far as lighter desserts go, the soft serve here is a winner. Whether you are here for the pastries or the soft serve, Hamada-ya will be sure to please. read more

Came here in the afternoon to try their new coffee jelly drink, and oh my goodness...IT IS SO GOOD! I highly recommend it. It tastes like milk tea, but has bits of soft coffee jelly mixed in. It's not too sweet, but not too bitter. Honestly, I think this is better than milk tea boba. My sister also got the green tea soft serve ice cream, which we've never tried before. It's very thick and creamy, and the cinnamon toast crunch at the bottom goes extremely well with the ice cream. Next time I go here to buy bread, I'll definitely get the ice cream! It's great on a hot summer day! read more

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I only had the green tea & vanilla swirl soft serve. It was tasty! It's on the icy side, which makes chewing the ice crystals fun. If you're expecting a smooth and creamy texture, this is definitely not it, so that's good to know before digging in. They put cereal at the bottom of the cup! I didn't expect that. Reminds me of milk & cereal, a tasty combo. Thought that was fun and added a nice crunch! The matcha taste is good, vanilla balances it out a little. The biggest thing to note is that the texture is icy. read more

Green tea soft serve swirled on top of cereal (similar to cinnamon toast crunch) - perfect way to beat the heat and keeps you eating due to the textural contrasts. I love! $4 for green tea, $3.50 for swirled green tea and vanilla, $3 for vanilla. This location takes card! Perfect way to end your meal in the Mitsuwa food court. read more

I love their Strawberry Cheesecake Danish!!! Always fresh!!! Always great! Wish I can get it delivered to me. It was my first time there as I usually go to the one in Costa Mesa or Torrance. The service was fast and friendly. No issues. This one seems to offer a variety of drinks and much more updated. Will be returning... read more

The Boston cream donut is the bomb. I come here every time I visit Mitsuwa for groceries or for food. The soft serve is okay but the pastries are all absolutely delightful! I would recommend the An with Fresh Cream if you like red bean, or the Boston cream donut if you're someone like me who prefers a more simple, elegant treat. The curry donuts are also a good snack if you're trying to eat on a budget. If you're eating at the food court, skip the Gong Cha and try out the coffee jelly and milk drink here. I promise it won't disappoint. read more

Decent soft ice cream and bakery goods. No wait here. Ice cream was 3.50 a cup with free golden grahams. read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Green tea vanilla soft ice cream - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

The soft serves here are always good - very full of flavor and smooth. My mouth is actually watering a little just thinking about that soft serve. For my most recent visit, I tried the coffee jelly milk, and I admittedly didn't really like it too much at first; however, I think the flavor really comes together after you let the drink sit for a while, so that the flavor of the coffee jelly really infuses into the milk drink. I loved it when I drank it the morning after (I got it the night before). read more

I've always come here to get the pastries like boston cream donut and ajitama donut. But recently, I also found out the bavarian cream chocolate is great. The coffee milk jelly is indeed great, like other yelpers have mentioned. The sweetness is just right. On the other hand, the milk tea is not great. It was very watery and I can't taste the tea. Definitely this place is my spot for Japanese pastries! And maybe coffee milk jelly too! read more

Love my coffee jelly soft serve! It's so yummy, I've got a mix soft serve, vanilla n matcha, perfect for a hot summer day. read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Coffee jelly mix soft serve, vanilla n matcha! Refreshing for a hot day, yummy. - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

I love the coffee jelly milk! The drink itself is creamy but not overwhelmingly so. Sweetness is adjustable, which is always a plus. Service is great. read more

Came in for an iced coffee since I work very close by and ended up ordering an iced green tea latte. It's very good and I would highly recommend coming here. read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Review for the matcha (green tea) ice-cream. It's delcious and tastes just how it did in Japan. A tad pricey, around $4.70 and they put Golden Grahams in the bottom of the cup which is a bit weird. I don't like it and think they are trying to scrimp on the ice-cream a bit. Other than that, it's the real deal. read more

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This place is a hidden gem in the Mitsuwa market. If you like coffee and jelly, you have to try the coffee jelly milk. I was in the mood for a pastry so I tried the Bavarian cream donut. I loved it! It's not like the American one though... it's very different maybe even better. It's more like a Japanese pastry and not like a donut. read more

Hamadaya Bakery - If you like jelly and coffee this drink is a must try! - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

This is my favorite Asian pastries store in Irvine. They don't look like from up front that they would really specialize in some real decadent treats but they do. Their non assuming store front presents some of the most addicting donuts and pastries near my home. Boston cream donut is my favorite. The cream inside is so rich and cool and decadent. The donut w the chocolate is so rich and mmm. I need to buy 2 always one to devour on my way home and the other to eat with a pot of coffee I make at home. Their chocolate donut is also delicious. Although the dough is made chewy , the donut is a unique take on an American chocolate donut. I love the almond pastry and all the others as well. They are all so lovely to smell, pick up , and devour. I haven't ordered any of their drinks. Next time you go there, pick up a boston cream donut and mention my name Brian C for a full price on your item and a bewildered look on their face. read more

Green Tea soft serve!! This spot is located inside Mitsuwa's food court. They also sell pastries, but I came here for the ice cream. I ordered their soft serve with mochi and red bean. The matcha flavor was perfect and the red bean and mochi are always a great combination with green tea. As I ate my way down to the bottom, I noticed something crunchy. I discovered that they put cinnamon toast crunch cereal at the bottom, which added a nice cinnamon crunch!! Definitely worth checking out if you liked green tea! read more

Hamadaya Bakery - Green tea ice cream - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

An answer to our gorgeous California weather! SOFT SERVE! I go to this Mitsuwa at least once a week and I've walked past this several times. After you've had some delicious ramen, katsu curry, or sushi, I highly recommend you stop by here for dessert. Or even if you're just looking for a sweet treat to beat the heat (so many rhymes, wo hoo!), do yourself a favor and stop here. They serve either green tea soft serve, vanilla, or a swirl of both. It comes in a cup and sits on a bed of cinnamon toast crunch cereal. I got the swirl and it was a tasty mix of creamy green tea with subtle hints of vanilla. I love the texture of soft serve --- soft, creamy, dissolves right as it hits your tongue. They also have a bunch of baked goods, which I've been tempted to try, but never have. Will definitely be getting this soft serve more often. YUM! read more

I've never really tried the breads or pastries here but I love the green tea soft serve with cinnamon toast crunch and/or mochi. They usually put the cereal on the bottom but I always ask them to put it on top. I also recently tried the coffee jelly drink and it is delicious too. I request half the amount of sugar and it's still plenty sweet. read more