I had been meaning to try these soufflé pancakes forever and so glad I finally did. We stopped in at lunch and thankfully there was no line since it was bitterly cold out. You order at the counter, they bring it to you. Tables, chairs and dishware / cutlery were really elegant, but odd as the restaurant itself seemed very cafeteria like. They also give you the worlds tiniest water cups if you ask for complimentary water so maybe order a drink? The food itself was a big serving and very tasty. Prices were very reasonable. We tried the Earl Grey and the Nutella. We also pushed some of the cream and toppings off to lessen the sweet factor. Texture was amazing. It's a bit like cake as your meal, but I'm all for it! They had some other savory offerings, but I wouldn't come for those. I'll be back! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Nutella - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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WORTH THE WAIT! 30 minutes outside in line and 30 minutes to receive food. You order when you walk in at the counter and sit down with a number, food is brought over to you when it is ready. So fluffy and delicious !! This would be the place to wait in line before they open so you can sit down right away. read more

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I wanted to check out what the hype was about... went on a Tuesday afternoon. There was no wait and finding the location was easy peasy. I've never had an authentic Japanese soufflé pancake so I can't compare to anything. I've had Japanese cheesecake, and although some reviews suggests they are similar, I'm not quite sure if I can say they are. The ambiance is super cute and the service is outstanding. It literally takes 20 minutes for those pancakes to be made so do not visit if you're in a hurry. As far as infamous pancakes, I've ordered the custard and Nutella. My friend I shared 1/2 of each. What I should've done, was to eat the Nutella first, but I actually ate the custard first, which, to my opinion tasted pretty bland. Then I had Nutella and it was super sweet. What would've been perfect was to eat them together, because that would have been a good mix. Was it worth checking out, yes. Would I return? Hmm... I'm not sure. read more

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After searching for soufflé pancakes for what seemed like forever, we were delighted to find this place! The pancakes are super soft and airy, but not quite the consistency we were used to. We tried the Nutella and the Earl Grey and both were very good. The Nutella is just the classic flavor combination, but still delicious. The Earl Grey was a surprise but in a good way. It's definitely unique but worth a try. The service was also very good! Worth a try! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place was fine. Seems kinda gimmicky for what you get. Yeah it's cute, yeah the pancakes taste good. But is it worth the wait and price? No and no. $25 for some pancakes and a coffee is outrageous. Do it for the gram if you must but you will see that this place is overrated. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Matcha Pancakes - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Basically offers you sweet eggs (because that is the only thing you can taste) for an exorbitant price. The ambiance is nice and the service is excellent but that is about it. read more

Pancakes were delicious! Fluffy! Jiggly! Earl Grey and sea salt Caramel were so goooood! The Peach Green Tea was good The Hot chocolate was served mildly warm, we tried to ask if they could remake it Hot but instead of remaking it hot they just said they couldn't place it in the microwave. Not sure why they would want to put it in the microwave. Long lines, make sure to get there early or be prepared to wait read more

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Overall a nice experience. Got there before the doors opened and there was no wait at all. Pancakes took about 20-25min to be ready, which is between the time range for this kind of food (was in Tokyo recently and the waiting time was about the same). Very authentic flavor and presentation. They were super good! A little bit on the sweet side, but amazing overall. They have different kinds of toppings and I tried the Earl Grey ones. Pretty good. Matcha latte was on point as well. Prices were fair. Ambiance is ok, but it is a small place. When we left it was almost full!! So time your visit accordingly. We went on a Monday afternoon and didn't have to wait. read more

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We arrived here about 10 minutes before they opened and were the 2 nd group in line. We order at counter then sit down. We had to order and pay before sitting down. You can have your party find you a seat first. We had a party of 5 and there are tables set up for 2 or 4. Then there are stools to sit on for the 5th or 6th person. Very small place with limited seating. Our party ordered almost one of each. I got the custard which was like a melted vanilla ice cream. The earl grey one was like a scoop of butter with that seasoning but it wasn't butter. Couldn't figure out what it was. Cream? It's was pretty good with interesting good flavor. The Nutella was ok. And the original was boring. I would get the earl grey next time. They have limited drinks. I got the matcha latte with oat milk. It was good. The pancakes were great and the added flavors they use are even better go this great pancake. It was an airy pancake that was light. These are time consuming to make so I definitely appreciate how fast they came out. read more

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The soufflé pancakes were super yummy and fluffy. I tried the matcha pancakes and I really liked that they weren't overly sweet. Presentation was amazing too, I loved the gold utensils and the nice plates. Good location close to a lot of tourist attractions. My only complaint is the long/ambiguous wait. They gave us an approximate wait time for for a party of 3 (30-40 min at the time, around 1pm) but there was no way to put our name down and be contacted when a table was available. We also couldn't wait indoors anywhere, so we just had to leave and estimate when to come back. They could definitely benefit from having a waitlist system (either a paper one at the entrance or the Yelp online waitlist). read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Original Pancake (top left), Taro Pancake (top right), Matcha Pancake (bottom) - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It was so fun to try the famous souffle pancakes but they were very expensive and so is the rest of their food. They give a student discount (maybe 10% off, but I can't remember). The pancakes are super soft and I like the diversity of flavors available. The pancakes take about 20 minutes to come out and you can only sit at a table after you've ordered, but that's how souffle pancakes work. The custard pancake was very good but I wish I had gotten a pancake with more flavor than regular custard (the brulee on top was a nice touch though). read more

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Definitely different and delicious, gotta order before sitting down first. Since they are made fresh it takes 10-15 minutes to get your order. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Nutella - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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So I'm not super proud of being in Chicago during the worst of the beginning of the COVID outbreak. I was selfish and didn't understand that the gravity of the situation. That being said, we still tried to make the most of the remaining hours we had left before restaurants shut down due to city mandate. Literally, we were the last customers before they shut down for a couple of weeks. We ordered in store after they graciously let us order right before they closed early. I've wanted to try soufflé pancakes for the longest time and finally had them in Japan at the end of 2019. I was excited to try another brand, Hanabusa, which I have seen pop up on social media. I didn't want anything basic - so I decided to go a little crazy and weird. I ordered the flossy pork pancake (because I freaking love 肉鬆 on everything carb) and also tried the Kyoto Matcha Latte, since I was all espresso'd out and wanted to switch things up. I can't believe it was $22 for everything... so I had some high expectations. It was quite a wait for our 3 orders but I didn't mind - I just felt awful that we stopped them from closing and getting home safely. We took everything to go since they were closing up - so we didn't get to eat our pancakes until after the 20-30 minute Uber ride back to our Airbnb. Ok - so the pork floss on the fluffy pancake is definitely DIFFERENT. I probably wouldn't order it again - however, I also wasn't mad at it. The order also came with a fruity pancake that seemed slightly savory, which was strange. Even after nearly an hour, the pancakes still seemed fresh. They were super fluffy and spongy - so freaking good!!! Now I do have one complaint... That there isn't a location in Atlanta!!! read more

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The pros: So delicious. This was my first time having Japanese souffle pancakes. Souffle cheesecake is delicious so it only makes sense that souffle pancakes are a thing, and they do not disappoint. I got the matcha pancakes while my wife got the custard. The portions are pretty big. Probably could have just ordered one for the 2 of us. The pancakes were light, fluffy, eggy, and had a great texture and flavor. You will eat these and wonder why they weren't a thing earlier. The negatives: Expect to wait. There is a sign by the front saying that you should expect to wait about 20 minutes for your pancakes, so don't come here if you're in a hurry. The matcha latte was decent. I wish the temperature was hotter since it was almost cold by the time it came to me. The service is good. Ambiance is nothing special. I'm determined to learn how to make these pancakes now. Pay this place a visit and you'll leave as happy as everyone else! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Kyoto matcha latte - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been wanting to try this place for a long time bc the pancakes look incredible and decadent. They lived up to expectations! They were fluffy, flavorful, decadent, yet light. We should have just ordered 2 plates of pancakes, and we almost ordered a second. The gyoza and fries were mediocre at best so stick to the pancakes! You order at the counter, and they'll bring your food and drinks to your table. The mango sparkler drink and the jasmine tea were lovely. The place is definitely no frills but the staff was friendly enough. read more

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It is good and the pancake is not too sweet so it is very good . It is good and the pancake is not too sweet so it is very good read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Matcha Pancake - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We got here 10 minutes before opening and there was already a line! Thankfully we got seated right after it opened! The decor of the place is so cute! My bf got the nutella pancake and I got the matcha pancake. Warning these pancakes take a while to come out. We also ordered strawberry sparkling for the drink. This drink was okay. You can't really taste the strawberry too much tbh. We ordered the 2 pancakes at the same time but my bf got his 10 minutes before I got mine. It took about 30-40 minutes to get our pancakesThe pancakes were super fluffy and delicious though! The fruit was so fresh! My only complaint is that I wish our food came out at the same time. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Matcha Pancake - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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First time trying soufflé pancakes and WOW, they melt in your mouth! Such a fun sweet treat! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is the only place I know in Chicago that has Japanese styled pancakes. I have been here twice and have enjoyed each time. The matcha and taro pancakes have a great balance that isn't too sweet. It takes about 20-25 minutes to make depending on how busy it is. It's worth the try if you haven't had it before. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Matcha Souffle Pancake - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute and small spot for authentic soufflé pancakes. The pancakes are extremely fluffy and not overpoweringly sweet! They literally melt with just one touch of the fork! I really want to try the mocha pancakes next time. The coffee was just ok, I got an iced mocha. The ambience was ok, there bunch of boxes and supplies lined up by one of the walls, food took about 30 mins, and it can get pretty loud as it's a small place. read more

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This place was on my list for almost half a year. Unfortunately, I think this restaurant is overhyped. I ordered the matcha pancakes and a caramel macchiato. The matcha pancakes were just okay. Even though I love matcha, I thought the matcha sauce was a little too overpowering and that the pancakes were just too fluffy (They are soufflé pancakes but I imagined the texture to be slightly different.) The caramel macchiato was way too sweet that I couldn't finish it and had to throw it out. Cramped seating and my friend and I were being asked to leave after about an hour and fifteen minutes even when there wasn't a line of people waiting. My friend said the matcha espresso was great so if I were to return, I would consider trying that. If you visit Hanabusa, I would recommend arriving when they open. read more

RATING: 9/10 I've been wanting to try this place for so long since I've never had soufflé pancakes!! And this will definitely not be the last time. My friends and I all got matcha drinks--I got the Kyoto matcha latte and it was just perfect. The matcha flavor was very strong and authentic which I prefer over the sickly sweet flavor that you usually find in low quality matcha. And the pancakes.... oh my. We were quite full so we just had one plate of the taro pancakes to share and it was perfect for 3. The fruit was fresh and the taro cream was both light and creamy. The only thing is that the pancakes take around 20 minutes to make, but the wait is DEFINITELY worth it. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Kyoto Matcha Latte - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The soufflé pancakes are really a hit here. I really enjoyed my mocha pancakes. I also ordered the strawberry sparkling which was very refreshing. My cousin ordered the same kind of pancakes with a cappuccino. This restaurant is too cute and I love the interior with its pastel colors and floral decor. It has a cute instagram moment with clouds and a neon sign near seating. i think the window seating with the floor cushions are a nice touch. I thought Hanabusa would have a more energetic atmosphere because the place looks very lively with decorations but it had a more quiet ambiance. I also noticed that customers were huddled at the counter to view the menu. I think it'd help to display the menu on the monitors so more people can view it and won't be confused by the people who are actually waiting in line or just viewing the menu. read more

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When I'm in Chicago I always make a stop at Hanabusa. Their soufflé pancakes are delightful. This last visit I ordered an Earl Grey Soufflé pancake and latte. The service was great. This location is so cute on the inside. There's a table towards the back that has a cute backdrops for pictures so don't miss out. Lastly, I wish they had more seating. read more

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The pancakes were sooooo fluffy and light. Simply delicious-try them-they will not disappoint. We'd definitely come here again the next time we're in Chicago! read more

I've been walking by this spot and seeing the photos of the Japanese souffle pancakes and wanting to try it. I finally made a point to try it when my brother was in town and was happy that it wasn't too crowded. The earl grey and sea salt caramel pancakes were delicious and our favorite of the two we ordered (we also got matcha). Definitely recommend if you're in the mood for Japanese souffle pancakes, since they're harder to find in Chicago (at least in my experience). read more

So I've got good news and bad news: the good news is if you're coming for soufflé pancakes, you're in luck! They're delicious! I highly recommend the sea salt caramel and earl grey. Super delicious! Light and fluffy and oddly not too filling, it was the perfect portion. I did miss my traditional breakfast sides but the pancakes were worth it. FYI: these do take 20 mins to cook so highly recommend dining in and being prepared to wait a minute. I liked the selection of teas and other drinks but they are a bit pricey at $4-6 per drink. The bad news... everything else was sub par. The fries were just normal fries with a side of Mayo and wasabi sauce. They were fine but not what I would normally order with pancakes, we thought they were more of a specialty dish. The beef bulgogi was the low point. The bowl was 80% rice with a couple oz of rubbery beef. The flavor wasn't bad but not impressed and would never order again. My matcha latte was also heavily just milk. Overall, I rounded up because the pancakes are the star of the show and they're worth it! Just don't bother with the other items on the menu. read more

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Cute little cafe in the city with small tables and a 20 minute wait for pancake orders but it is so worth it to slow down a bit and enjoy a yummy dessert in the middle of the crowded downtown area. Super friendly service, just need to be patient. The fluffy pancakes are so scrumptious and worth the wait! Nutella is sweet but not too sweet. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Nutella Pancake and Caramel Macchiato - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The fluffy pancakes here are tasty, especially if you're craving them or miss having them in Japan. Everything else about the space though, including the service, is a bit lacking. It all feels a bit catered to nice images for social media and the actual food and amenities are more of an afterthought. It feels like they know they have a hard to find item (Japanese fluffy pancakes) and everything else is an afterthought. Like half of the other things we would have liked to try were unavailable, including coffee drinks, which was quite disappointing. This was one of those places where I've tried it and it wasn't bad per se, but I won't be back. Been there, done that. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Dust - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is a hidden gem! all of the workers my sister and I interacted with were super friendly and asked us if we had questions. I ordered the peach green fruit tea (10/10. It reminded me of those Del Monte peach fruit cup with the little peach chunks ) and my sister ordered the house milk tea with cheese foam (I rated this a 10/10 even though I'm more of a fruit tea fan). We also ordered the Gyoza dumplings and the Nutella pancake. Everything we had was a perfect 10/10. The dumplings were so savory and delicious and the PANCAKE!!! the pancake!!! The video says It all. Our jaws were on the floor. It was such a cute pink/purple pastel aesthetic inside with some window seating with floor pillows and there's about 15 small tables to sit at. We will definitely be coming back to try this entire menu. read more

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I am not a pancakes person but my friend from out of town wanted to go there. I loved the texture and the flavors, satisfying and light at the same time. I will come back again! read more

Food was great! I had the nutella pancakes and they were awesome. The guy working the coffee section didn't put the panda on my latte. He had a sour look on his face. Lazy and for that attitude they get 3 stars. The extra work to make the panda in the latte makes my day... I shouldn't have left a tip. Next time, of course I will return, I'll wait till service is done before I decide on tips. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Latte - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Very cool of this place to bring unique Japanese pancakes to Chicago! I have had the ones in Japan and while these are not exactly as fluffy, they are similar! The pancakes themselves are a bit plain but I LOVE the flavor options that Hanabusa has. Defs recommend the earl grey which was such a unique combination of flavors. The Mocha was good if you like chocolate. Can't speak to the drinks as I didn't get one. Everything was super aesthetically pleasing as well, but it's great that it tastes good too. We came at 2PM on a Friday and there was no wait. Definitely recommend coming during off hours as there aren't too many tables and it does take 20 or so mins to get your food. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came across Hanabusa Café on Yelp when looking for a breakfast spot nearby where I was staying. Japanese souffle pancakes sounded (and looked) amazing, so I was excited to try it. Upon arrival, I ordered at the counter. I was told that it would be about 30 minutes before my food would be ready. That was fine, I had some emails to respond to, so I got a bit of work done before my food arrived. There are lots of small tables inside the café. There also seems to be a way you can get their food delivered to you too as I noticed many people picking up orders for others during my time here. The souffle pancakes did not disappoint. I opted for the Nutella ones because I have a bit of a sweet tooth. Besides their pancakes being Instagram worthy, they also taste good. My pancakes also came with some grapes. I don't know what kind of grapes they were, but easily some of the best grapes I've ever had. Everyone I interacted with was kind and helpful too. read more

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I have been intrigued by the super fluffy, jiggly pancakes for a long time. I haven't tried them yet but will. I stopped in one afternoon to pick up a couple of lattes. I figured I could get a peek at the pancakes too. I watched a woman making the pancakes and was fascinated. I saw people eating them and they looked delicious. Our lattes and chai tea were delicious. They were rich and smooth with layers of flavor. The room was surprisingly basic. I was expecting an Instagram oasis. There was inventory stacked in boxes and a ladder at the back of the small store which took away from the cute pink and turquoise color of the room. They have unique window seating where you sit at a very low table on a pillow. It added a bit of authenticity to the experience. I am really looking forward to stopping in for some cool looking pancakes soon! read more

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My boyfriend, our friends, and I went to this establishment last Saturday! Our friends entered first and made a reservation for four people! The place was packed! There was a line outside the door! We were initially seated at two separate tables and finally when a larger table for four opened up, we were moved to that side! Our drinks came out first! My boyfriend got the Matcha latte, which was not sweetened, which is exactly how he likes it! My caramel cappuccino however, was a diabetic sweet! It was like straight up drinking sugar water... We also ordered the fries and the dumplings! The fries were amazing and we really like the seasoning! The dumplings were fine, nothing that I am overly raving about, but still a good addition to our pancakes! Now let's talk about the main attraction and the reason why everybody goes here, the Japanese pancakes! I ordered the regular stack, and my boyfriend ordered the Taro pancakes! The Taro had the iconic purple color, was also not sweetened, it did have a grainy texture to it. I ordered the original pancakes because I just wanted to taste them for what they were, which is light, airy, and fluffy! They were good, but I also felt like I was just eating air... Overall I am glad that I came to this establishment and able to try a very unique dish! I do not think I will be back, this is more of a one and done for me. They do try to accommodate you, they are very friendly, and they try to be very attentive during your order! read more

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PRO: aesthetic photo worthy jiggly pancakes with yummy light cream and decent non mushy fruit. We tried the matcha, mocha, and original. The original is the best one! CON: latte is below average, boba is worse, the wait in line was 45+ minutes, service was slow (there were five tables open while we waited in line but no one would turn them over), we sat and waited another 45 minutes, and the flavors of the different pancakes like the matcha drizzle and mocha cream are subpar. TLDR: get the original once on a weekday when there's no line! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came to Hanabusa Cafe for the fluffy pancakes. We decided to order the Earl Grey and Salted Caramel Pancake. They were delicious and the saltiness of the sauce/cream paired perfectly with the lightly sweet fluffy pancakes. Although I can say it was pretty pricey, it was worth it imo. I came around 5:30pm on a weekday so they weren't busy. We got to sit wherever we wanted so we chose the 2 seat table in front of the neon sign. A good photo op! I would say the shop had okay cleanliness. A couple of the tables were dirty. When I asked for the bathroom, they handed me the key on a keychain, which I personally think is a bit unsanitary. Felt like a school hall pass haha. I deducted a star for the price and the cleanliness! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Earl Grey and Sea Salt Caramel Pancake - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Oh my goodness I wish I could savor this meal forever. I came at noon on a weekday, so there was no wait and plenty of open seats. There's a sign that says the pancakes take 20 minutes to be prepared, but I got my dish after only 5 minutes. I ordered the earl gray sea salt caramel pancakes, and was satisfied that there was a strong earl gray flavor. The pancakes were super fluffy and airy, and paired super well with the cream. The dish was filling and a great brunch/larger breakfast! Definitely hoping to come back to try the different flavors. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Earl Grey and Sea Salt Caramel Pancake - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is great for social media but has an underwhelming atmosphere. The soufflé pancakes have a great taste, we ordered the matcha, earl grey with sea salt and taro flavors. It's great to share to get an assortment of flavors. There is limited seating and there is a decent wait since the pancakes are made to order. One visit satisfied my curiosity but the price for the pancakes is a bit expensive. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Left: Taro Pancake, right: Earl Grey and Sea Salt Caramel Pancake - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois