i'd give six stars if possible. the hot cakes are truly incredible and it's fun to have a spot in the area that is open late and has seating. go here over salt and straw 1000%. nice outdoor patio too. i will say i've tried to get some of the dessert cocktails and they were very meh (actually kinda bad) so i just ignore those and don't stray from what they're good at. read more

Sometime last month we visited Hot Cakes for their molten chocolate desserts. I tried the Gooey Brownie Cake, while my friend had the Dark Decadence (the caramel-centered one). The flavors were rich, and decent portions because of heavy cholately cake and icecream combo - can easily share. However, as we entered, I expected that warm, chocolatey aroma to hit, but it was something different (not saying it was bad). The ambiance was cozy and noisy (didn't bother us). In terms of value, it's on the higher side - maybe justifiable if shared, but you might find more variety elsewhere for the same price. Worth a try - maybe as a one-time treat, or if you've got someone visiting. Take a bit of time for cake to come - relatively fast service. Rating: 3.5/5 read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Gooey Brownie Cake Dark Decadence - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We ordered the S'mores Cake, Dark Decadence and a Boozy Bee shake. For these 3 things we paid $58. My 10 year old loved his Dark Decadence. I thought the S'mores was pretty good, but it was mostly lava and not much cake. I would've preferred a better balance. My husband had the shake and liked it but drank about half. Service was not bad but the person working was definitely not friendly. We sat outside and she brought the desserts out to us but nothing above and beyond. The seating inside and out was clean. Overall, I would probably not return. Mostly because the desserts were not worth the price we paid at all and service was very mediocre. The portions COULD be shareable if you only wanted a little bit but honestly they seem more like single portions which are not worth the ~$20 price point. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - S'mores Cake & Dark Decadence - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Some friends brought us here for the first time and it did not disappoint!! I ordered the Strawberry from the Molten Cakes menu, and omg!! I absolutely loved how gooey, warm, and chocolatey the dark chocolate cake was. It was the perfect contrast to the cool strawberry jam and vanilla ice cream At first, I was eating everything separately, but once I tried them together, I never looked back lol. The combo made it soooo much better! I was honestly sad when I reached the last bite haha read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Decided to go with something different this time around and went w their rum cake. It's a pleasant combo with the cake, the vanilla ice cream, nuts, and orange shavings. BUT it is sweet af yall hahaha. Maybe that's just a given seeing as this is hot cakes, but I couldn't eat more than 1/3 bc of how sweet it was. I do see how this type of dessert would appeal to a lot of people though, especially in America. Personally I just didn't think it justified the price at ~$20 after taxes/tip. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Sticky Toffee Rum Cake - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My boyfriend and I wanted a warm dessert after grabbing dinner together and he suggested this place which I'd never been to before. When he described the rich, flavourful lava cakes and the unique flavours I was instantly sold and the experience definitely delivered. The restaurant was bustling when we got there, but we didn't have to wait in line super long. I loved the large community-style tables which allowed us to hear a lot of fun gossip from the parties around us. We were able to easily find a clean spot to sit despite how busy it was and it made it perfect for sharing our dessert. We decided to share a dark decadence hot cake and I was obsessed with the sweet crunch of toffee and the drool-wortht chocolate. It took everything in me to share and not devour the whole cake in two bites. The creamy vanilla ice cream added a soft juxtaposition to the rich chocolate cake and I loved that there was a perfect ratio of ice cream to cake. I can't wait to come back here with my boyfriend soon! But maybe next time we'll get two cakes instead of just one! read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Dark Decadence - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Finally made it to Hot Cakes! Not sure if it was the hype from my friends that I came in very high expectations. Ordered the Dark Decadence which is Dark Chocolate with caramel toffee and Vanilla Ice cream. you can feel the difference in the richness of the dark chocolate. The vanilla ice cream was great and not super sweet! Good outdoor seating with heaters that worked well during the chilly cold evening The letdown was the ROI, the quantity and quality. I have had better chocolate cakes for the price I paid! read more

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To start it's a cute place. Nice seating outside. Staff was friendly. Ok, so we got the dark decadence and an affogato. Upon arrival it was so busy and disorganized. It's hard to even see the sign and pick what you want because there is no space in the tiny area to view the menu. It took about 30 mins for our food. It does say the lava cake takes time to cook, but that was while. I had to go up and ask where my cake was after about 20 minutes. She then started making my affogato and with a few minutes later our cake came out. It's was burnt and there was no lava.. so waiting that long was basically pointless. Maybe go when it isn't busy read more

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The food is great and I LOVE their milkshakes and their service is very very fast. And the ambiance is great for just hanging out or for a date night. read more

Came here because of all the positive reviews! Ordered their smoky s'mores molten cake and s'mores cookie. The molten cake was decadent, warm, and gooey and we could see why some people would love this place. However, for me, it was a little too rich but I would enjoy it again with some friends. The cookie had a great texture, and when warmed up, really hit the spot on a cold day with some coffee. Ambiance was chill, coffee shop vibes. Service was lovely. Would recommend if you are in the area and shopping around! read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - S'mores cookie - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Food - very rich & indulgent. we had the dark decadence & it came with caramel. we also got 2 cookies to go - choco chip & smores to go. heated them up in the microwave the next day for 8 seconds. both very good, wish i had gotten some vanilla ice cream to go with them. Service - friendly, but didn't have too much interaction. took our food to the patio to eat. Ambiance - perfect for summer nights after dinner dessert. this area of ballard is my favorite and they have a nice dog friendly patio. they have heating lamps but they were off, since its summer & my ice cream would have melted in 2 mins. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've been here twice now. The first time, we just got the lava cakes, and honestly, I was underwhelmed--pretty pricey for such a small cake with a scoop of ice cream. Came back again with a group and we tried a few different things: some bakery items, the grilled cheese, and the tomato soup. This time I went for a slice of cake instead of the lava cake, and it was definitely a better choice. They're known for the lava cakes, but personally, I don't think they live up to the hype and aren't worth the price. The other baked goods are a bit better, and I actually enjoyed the grilled cheese and tomato soup. Just a heads up--it's all still on the pricey side. read more

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Love the idea of a molten lava cake place! Definitely don't mind ordering one if it's on the menu. First time I had lava cake and fell in love with it was at Fleming's. I can make a pretty one at home as well. My second visit here, this time I felt the lava cake was very rich and too sweet for me personally. Someone else may enjoy it this way, but I think it's not for me. I love this neighborhood, there is street parking but hit or miss, there are paid lots nearby. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Spumoni - flavor of the month - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Oh Hot Cakes! How I love you! This place is a 2 min walk from my favorite steak place. We came here for desert after dinner for a friend's birthday! The atmosphere, the smell everything was delicious! My only down fall is that when I think of a lava cake I think of it up side down and when you take the first bite the chocolate pours out. There lava cakes are in a dish. So you have to scoop it out. Not bad but not a traditional lava cake. Also the cookies amazing but share. It comes with two cookies so it's alot! There were 6 of us we ordered 3 cookies and two lava cakes. Too much food! But all very delicious! Would come back! read more

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I enjoyed my time here but there were some things that were off putting? The desserts were delicious don't get me wrong but based on these observations I feel like there could be improvement 1) we were asking for advice between two options and the girl working the register seemed kind of annoyed we were taking our time 2) there were zero prices published for any dish. Why? I don't love being surprised at the register 3) the desserts itself were small. It's shareable after a meal but definitely not shareable if you haven't had anything to eat prior. We got the strawberry one and while it was delicious, the cake itself was more gooey than cakey. Everything was tiny portions compared to other places I've had. Other than that it is a cute place with outdoor seating. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

While all of the desserts had good flavor, they were a little lack luster. They were insanely rich and the ratio of ice cream was off to the total amount of cake. Once the ice cream ran out, it was hard to finish the cake. The main reason why I wouldn't come back is the price. We got 3 lava cakes and a slice of coconut cake and the total was $89! The slice of coconut cake we got was definitely not worth the $12 we paid. If you were to share the slice, each person would maybe get 4 bites. The service was very friendly though. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Seasonal Toasted Coconut Layer Cake (Seasonal) - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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To be fair, our expectations to this place was high because of the reviews. So I was quite excited to introduce it to my husband. Unfortunately, that excitement immediately dropped when first of all, the service attendant was not very welcoming. Then, when we got our order number and utensils, we found our seat, but we had to go out shortly to double check our car. When we came back, we saw our table got cleaned up and our number was taken back. (This was our fault for not informing them that we'll be back) We approached the same lady and she handed us new sets of napkins, spoons and number, then just left. However, I was stunned when I realized that the spoons that she provided us were both obviously used with some left-over chocolates on it! I approached another guy and showed him the spoons. He immediately apologized and exchanged it for new sets. When we got to our seats, we patiently waited for our orders. We were thinking of a nicely cooked molten cake (we're not molten cake connoisseurs but we know how to identify a molten cake at least) but instead, we got a mostly soupy undercooked chocolate dessert that we can't even call it a cake. Sadly overall, it was not the best dessert experience for us. read more

Recently went here for a catch up with my friend, it was the perfect location! I love the cozy atmosphere especially on a chilly fall evening. We ordered hot chocolates and a slice of pumpkin bread to share. The drinks and bread were delicious. For Seattle, the prices were reasonable. I decided to take home a bunch of stuff to try at home, so after viewing the display case of amazing fresh cookies, I took home a s'mores cookie which was delicious, their take and bake hot cakes, which are also delicious even when baked at home, a jar of their decadent dark chocolate sauce... also amazing!! I would say all these items were great value as the food is high quality. Parking was a bit hard to find as the area is busy but after a drive around I got a space. The staff were fast and efficient as well as friendly. read more

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If I could give this place more than 5 stars I would! If you like dessert, you MUST hit this Seattle staple. The molten lava cake hits every time - it is gooey deliciousness with a side of creamy ice cream to wash it down. My favorite is easily the peanut butter lava cake. Ordering is simple (just at the counter), finding a seat can be hard pending how busy it is. I recommend going on a Sunday evening later in the night. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Amazing service to the rescue, thank you Roxie! We came to hot cakes after date night for some dessert perfect spot for your sweet tooth. We ordered.gooey cake and sat down. But our order got lost and after 15 minutes I asked where was our cake! Roxie recognized that they messed up and got us a delicious cookie to make up for it! It's amazing to see empowered servers who are charged with making an awesome experience not just doing the minimum! We'll be back soon! read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - S'mores cookie - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Hot Cakes in Ballard is the perfect spot for a serious chocolate fix, and their molten chocolate cake is a must-try. It's rich and super gooey in the middle--exactly what you want from a molten cake. When you dig in, the warm chocolate oozes out, mixing with the soft, slightly crispy cake. Pair it with some of their ice cream, and you've got an incredible dessert. The place has a cozy vibe, making it great for a chill night out or a solo treat. If you love chocolate, you'll love this. The price is a bit up there for the quantity but you pay for the quality! read more

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Came here for drinks and a cookie - the drinks were surprisingly good! In the past, I've come for the hot cakes, which are a nice sweet treat. But they are definitely overpriced for the quantity that you're getting. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - S'mores cookie Aperol spritz - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

There's a bunch of street parking that's hard to find during a Saturday night, which is when my friend and I went to this place. There's indoor seating (which is bustling and very noisy with seating for parties of various numbers of people) and heated outdoor seating (with a similar arrangement of seating). You can see a ton of cookies near the counter and you can also smell a ton of chocolate inside. Our food came out relatively fast despite people constantly coming in and filling up every seat both inside and outside. I got the strawberry molten cake and the Bart Simpson smoothie, and there's a lot of heavy sweet going on here. The molten cake was piping hot inside and had soooo much fudge that it was actually more overwhelming. The vanilla ice cream with the strawberry jam rim around it became my palette cleanser essentially. The Bart Simpson smoothie tasted exactly as advertised; butter fingers, dark chocolate and whipped cream all in one. This drink was also quite tasty but heavy in flavor too. I wouldn't mind coming back for some more stuff here actually since it's bustling and the desserts are a really great choice for anyone wanting some heavy sweets. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - The Bart Simpson smoothie - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Really yummy desserts but quite expensive! I expected a bit cheaper so was kind of shocked to pay $17 for a little cake and ice cream scoop. We got the dark decadence cake and really enjoyed it, very rich flavors and the combination with the ice cream was delicious. Service was good and they brought it out pretty quickly, and the vibes inside are nice and lively. I would want to again and try more flavors but I really wish it were cheaper! read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Dark Decadence Molten Cake - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We got a s'mores cookie warmed up and it was okay. It didn't blow me out of the water but it wasn't bad either. It was a bit hard, especially for being warmed up. But I guess we all have different cookie preferences! My friend got an espresso shot that I tried. It was very cute but very strong and bitter! (As espresso usually is). I would like to return to try to molten lava cakes. I think that may be the better choice here. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I used to love Hot Cakes, so it really sucks to see how downhill it's gone. We were not greeted when we came in, and stood in line for about 6 minutes. Nobody said, "Be right with you" or even looked in our direction. Multiple employees on their phone, and the employee that finally did take our order was wearing earbuds. Not a single employee was wearing an apron. It was about $35 for a dessert and a cocktail. As tasty as some of their stuff is, I just don't think it's worth it anymore. read more

Deconstructing a dessert is a fun gimmick. This place is yummy, don't get me wrong. I just wouldn't come back for the novelty (or the price ). Service was so kind though. Personable and ready to talk me through their menu. Vibes are cute! I love a good long communal table. read more

Ordered the dark decadence molten cake, pineapple & brioche bread pudding. Definitely the spot to go if you have a sweet tooth. The molten lava in the dark decadence had a dark-chocolate-bitterness to it, and had a nice rich, creamy texture. One bite paired with the vanilla ice cream and I could already feel the diabetes coursing through my veins. The portion size is deceptively small just because the cake was so dense with chocolate. The pineapple & brioche bread pudding was just as good. The texture reminded me of mini brick toast. It wasn't overly sweet, although that could have been because the decadence was so overpowering. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Dark Decadence Molten Cake, pineapple & brioche bread pudding - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Visited for a pre-dinner treat and was NOT disappointed! Super rich chocolate (also opted for the non-smoked version)- love a hot/cold mixed treat and was in awe of how everything felt perfectly balanced for this one. Space was giving "late night coffee shop" vibes, some people studying, some people stopping in during their night out. Nice patio outdoor seating that was too cold outside to take advantage of this time. The staff were very friendly and appeared calm and cool despite being seemingly constantly busy. We also ordered a butter beer cocktail, which was a bit unexpected to taste a lot like an apple cider (still tasty though) read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - S'mores Molten Cake - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I asked for a hot chocolate extra hot twice - it wasn't even busy and they gave it to me warm. I asked if they had a microwave but the refused to warm up my drink due to "safety". I saw at least two couples walk in and out again without being acknowledged. these girls are out to lunch. read more

This is a very good late night spot for people craving desserts during midnight time ! This places opens in the evening and closes around 11 PM. The ambiance is very average and just like any other place. Service is pretty decent. We ordered couple of molten cakes and it was just like any other hot cakes. I like this place because it's open late and very good for the price and items they serve. I would definitely visit this place for some late night dessert cravings. read more

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Oh so rich and decadent! Thanks for providing just enough desert so my tummy didn't ache. The peanut butter and chocolate molten was a little piece of heaven for this rich dessert lover. Fudgy rich with thick smooth peanut butter in each bite. You'll surely take small ones to savor it all. My kiddo enjoyed the s'mores cookies topped with ice cream. The cookies were huge! Chewy edges y'all! Took one home, my niece and sister in law enjoyed theirs too. They have special holiday flavors that I'll remember to check out next year; especially the bread pudding! Customer service was outstanding Venue clean, warm and dimly lit by candlelight. read more

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Overall, for the price ($15/ lava cake), I wouldn't go back. The desserts are very thought out and intricately made. There are many flavor profiles and textures and I'd say eating here is an experience. The service was amazing and its a great set up with outdoor heaters with covered seating. Meringue cookie: filled with chocolate and hazelnut. Crunchy and melts in your mouth. Very large ($6). Unexpected texture but wasn't my favorite. Lavender lemon cookie: smells like butter and lavender, crunchy outside and chewy middle. Lavender pieces aren't super overpowering and the cookie isn't too sweet. Probably my favorite out of the ones we tried. (~$4) Blondie: pecans or walnuts with chocolate chips inside and topped with sea salt. The salt is something I love to see in desserts. The brownie was overall too crunchy for me. Salted caramel lava cake: cake itself I feel was dry and was stuck to the compostable container it was served in. Strong chocolate flavor. Vanilla ice cream + caramel sauce + dark chocolate Olive oil magic shell was something I would've ordered alone (without the cake). read more

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Hot cakes is always been my go to dessert spot in Seattle. This place has huge seating and the ambiance is cute. The service is spot on. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Molten cake of the month - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Hot Cakes is a dessert spot dedicated to molten chocolate cakes - yum! They have several varieties of molten cakes, other desserts, and even some savory options. We got the dark decadence molten cake and it was sooooo good. It was very rich, gooey, and super chocolatey. This also came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, which balanced out the rich chocolate. I really enjoyed the molten cake we had, but felt that the price was a bit expensive given the small size. However, the cake was very delicious so I think this makes for a nice special treat to have once in a while! read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Dark Decadence Molten Cake - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The deserts S'more cake and cookies with has unique tastes. The cakes are freshly made when you order. The order is tasty. The sizes are huge. You may want to split one into two. There is a lot of sugar. Not so professional part is that it is pay first. They ask for tip. They serve you the order ; but you have to bus the table. So tip accordingly. But remember that they know the tip before serving you. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Smores cake - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We came stopped by here to have some dessert after eating dinner near by. There was a long line and they take your order and give you a number. We waited about 10-15 minutes for our order. We got 2 cakes to share between 4 people. Each cake cost $14 each. It was so crowded we sat at the counter, hoping to get some seats at the tables, but the tables never opened up. We had the cake of the month - blackberry lavender molten cake and a peanut butter and chocolate molten cake. Both came with a scoop of ice cream. They were both incredibly delicious, I just wished we had more ice cream since the cakes were so rich. Definitely something you want to share, it would be hard to eat one by myself. read more

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Had incredibly delicious apple cobbler and chai latte. Friendly service, great ambiance! Highly recommended!

If you don't want to feel eternal guilt after eating, don't come here. It is so incredibly rich You will likely feel sick after one bite. And don't even get me started on the price, 18 DOLLARS FOR UNCOOKED GOO. If you want the same thing for much cheaper just go ahead and get it from Trader Joe's. read more

I ordered the vegan dark chocolate hotcake with vegan ice cream and Hotcakes gave a cup of molten chocolate with a tiny layer of cake on it in a paper bowl about the size of a Puppuccino. After eating the meager layer of cake off the top, I was left scraping the sides of this paper cup to try and recover any cake morsels from the dark, molten pool. Unfortunately, the cake batter had bonded with the paper during cooking and it was impossible to pull it away. Thankfully, the vegan ice cream that came with my order was absolutely fantastic. The perfect, scoopable texture and light flavor had me thinking it was full dairy! Unfortunately, they are very stingy on the scoops of ice cream (why?), so I didn't get to really enjoy it properly. For a combination so core to the Hotcakes concept, the ratio of ice cream to hotcake is way off. If this is the concept, the ratio should be perfect. I think for a cake this rich, most people would probably say every bite should be at least 50% ice cream, if not a little more. I don't think I can forgive Hotcakes for this. At the end of my dessert course, I was left with a shameful pool of chocolate, which I had no idea what to do with (see picture). Maybe if they had given me more of that delicious ice cream, I would have given them an extra star. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Vegan Dark Chocolate Molten Cake - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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