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

See all

Very well made molten lava cakes and drinks located in a fun area. You just go up to the register and order where they will give you a number and food is brought out to you. I loved the atmosphere of Hot Cakes, however I do think it was a bit overpriced for what you get. read more

Oh my goodness!!!! What a way to end the night! Apart for the place being so nice with a very casual and elegant set up and the people there so friendly...the desserts were amazingly delicious. I don't even know how to describe how good it was. You just have to go and eat here. There's desserts and there are cocktails too. End your date the right way. read more

See all

I thought I would be wowed, with the long line out the door. But it was just ok. The place was super crowded. Everyone fends for themselves stalking for a table and hogging up a space for all their friends, while their other friends stand in line to place the orders. It's chaotic. They have cafeteria style benches indoors seating and pandemic outdoors, meaning nothing charming but sufficient. We stood in line, ordered at the counter, got our number, and hoped for the best, table-wise. With enough gawking at people at the tables, they left, and we got a table. Lol. The place seems well staffed. I think I should just be happy for them that they have so many customers making their place chaotic. The Food: Blackberry Lavender Molten Cake, $14 - 3 Stars Menu: Our dark decadence molten cake is filled with a juicy blackberry lavender jam made with Pacific NW berries. On the side, the cake is paired with vanilla ice cream, lavender white chocolate crumble, and more of that perfectly floral blackberry lavender jam. Partly in fear of not getting a table, we decided to get just one item. I'm glad we did. It was literally just ok. I prefer my molten cakes taller, more molten in the middle, in a container big enough that I can generously scoop whatever accompanying ice cream into it for a hearty, melting blend. Theirs met none of these criteria. The little cake is in a little paper cup. The cake is a bit too sulken and dry to be a good molten cake. The ice cream itself is good, but we didn't like the white chocolate lavender crumples. I think it's personal taste on this aspect. We have since walked by several more times during off-hours when they have shorter lines or even no lines, and we weren't motivated to go in and try other things. I suspect our adventures with Hot Cakes have come to an end. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Blackberry Lavender Molten Cake, $14 - 3 Stars - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's getting hot in here! Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery is a dessert shop that needs to make its way to the Eastside, like, pronto! I hardly ever get to enjoy Hot Cakes since I don't travel much to Capitol Hill or Ballard, which is where this particular shop is located. But my most recent visit has me thinking that maybe I should cross the bridge more often. We visited Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery on a Sunday after dinner, and the place was busy, but not crowded. I love the spacious patio seating right outside the shop where it's dog friendly and covered. After you order at the counter, you're given a number, which is how they track where you sit since they bring our your delicious dessert to you. I ordered the peanut butter molten hot cake, which was delicious. There was peanut butter fudge in the chocolate cake and the vanilla bean ice cream had roasted peanuts and caramel on it, and there was a side of peanut butter fudge. If you love peanut butter, then this is one you'll have to try. But really, all of the hot molten cakes and other desserts are delightful. One serving is always far too much for me because of how rich it is, so I recommend sharing. Or don't and be a bad ass because that's pretty baller if you can eat this delectable dessert all on your own. You'll want to anyway because it's delicious. However, I would love to try one of their cookie sundaes sometime soon. Those always look bomb with a cookie topped with a scoop of ice cream and a topping. Can't beat that. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Peanut Butter Hot Molten Cake - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Best molten lava cakes!! Decadent and warm to the belly. The icecream is smooth and creamy. Wish there was a hot cakes in every single city in the states!! Genius. Quick service. Plenty of long bench tables and outside seating available. Parking is not easy by any means. read more

We got the Dark Decadence and absolutely loved it! Prices a little steep but one cake was plenty for two people. Good ambiance as well.

I came here for dessert one night recently to finally try their molten chocolate lava cake. It did not disappoint! I was overwhelmed by all the menu options and just wanted something simple. I ended up getting the vegan option which comes with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream (I am lactose intolerant) so the ice cream wasn't real, but still good. The chocolate lava cake was so rich and decadent. I couldn't tell that it was vegan at all. My date that night also got a vanilla milkshake, and it was also delicious. Very thick and creamy. I felt like it was very vanilla flavored so I wonder if they added extra extract to it... All in all, I would certainly come back here. I am also interested in trying their savory options which sound really good. Plus they have rotating flavors of desserts based on the season, so there is another good reason to come back! read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Vegan molten chocolate cake. - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My friends and I paid a visit to this outstanding chocolate emporium right after having dinner at the Patxi's in Ballard, which is within walking distance. The place was packed, and I can totally understand why - if you're someone who loves chocolate, then this needs to be one of your places :-) To be specific, they specialize in molten chocolate cakes. My friends and I each tried a couple, and my hands-down favorite of the two is the peanut butter cup. It's chocolate cake with melted, chocolate-infused peanut butter; it's also got caramel and ice cream on it, and the peanut butter is replete with lots of peanut chunks. To be fair, this stuff is about as nutritious as Crack, but it's maybe a shade less addictive and the taste is Out-of-this-World! The atmosphere here is lively and fun, and their coffee is fairly good too. The service is efficient and very friendly. Tip: If for some reason you're not a fan of molten chocolate cakes, I suggest you try one their crème brûlées. The taste is insanely exceptional, and if you tap your spoon on it after it arrives you'll hear that distinctive crack which is indicative of a truly outstanding creme brûlée. Other foolproof choices here include their very tasty Bread Pudding, and my second favorite (after their insanely good peanut butter cup), which is their warm chocolate chip cookie! To sum it all up, the service, atmosphere, and most especially the food here are all excellent, so I have no trouble recommending them to chocolate lovers everywhere :-) read more

See all

I admittedly am not a dessert enthusiast. Just get me a couple a scoops of ice cream, maybe Mrs. Fields cookie and I'm good. I don't need 'decadent' desserts as it were. Never hurts once in a while though. Here I found myself at Hot Cakes after some evening drinks only as a tag along. So, I simply go with a milkshake, and I must say this was quite a rich and thick milkshake. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love milkshakes but this had no doubts about it's thickness because I have had some that are a bit liquidy. Not this one though, nice and sweet too. I had to assist on tackling the molten chocolate cake with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream. The cake is great. You don't have to guess twice that this is something hot and chocolatey, so that is there, and it is shareable if you don't need anything bigger than a decent jolt of sweetness. The vegan ice cream wasn't bad but doesn't beat the creaminess that comes from our favorite black and white farm animal. Hot cakes molten chocolate is always packed whenever I walk by, and I get it. Lots of different sweets to try - cakes, ice cream, pastries and more await here and is the perfect spot to get dessert after dining out in the area amongst other choices. Again. I'm not the top dessert critic, but there is definitely hot cake molten chocolate here and it's good. read more

See all

Orange hazelnut - seasonal cake and ice cream. Amazing desert place. Worth to try. Highly recommend.

Best dessert concept ever. The dark decadence is to die for--Smooth, rich, sinful. The cookies and ice cream was an oversized generous potion and one of the cookies miraculously managed to get saved for later. read more

I know this is a crazy complaint to have but the cakes were too sweet and rich for me. Everything was also quite expensive. We didn't have trouble finding parking on a week day. It was pretty crowded in there and not the easiest to find a spot. The tables remind me of a school cafeteria in that you're sitting with other people - not exactly a romantic dessert date or anything like that. I so appreciate how much of the menu is gluten free, and how good of a job they do labeling everything. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Strawberry Molten Cake (Gluten free) - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

got the dark decadence and their cake of the month which was orange hazelnut. I preferred the orange to the decadence but both are great if you have a sweet tooth. the place itself was also very cute and vibey with candles and ambient lighting. read more

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

I LOVE molten chocolate lava cakes, so I was stoked when my friend suggested this as a place to try for desserts. Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery also offers different type of desserts, like warm cookies (with ice cream), sundaes, creme brulee, pudding, parfaits, and drinks (both alcoholic and nonalcoholic) . They also have some savory dishes like grilled cheese, tomato soup, and mac and cheese. We got there at around 8:30pm on a Saturday, and it was surprisingly almost packed. But even more surprisingly, when it was a little after 9:30pm, it was more than packed; there were lines forming with some waits. But despite the almost packed place, we got our food pretty quickly, so kudos to them for the speed! I got the Dark Decadence, and it was really good. You get to pick which type of ice cream you'd like with your cake. For both the cake and the ice cream, they have vegan options. I did the regular Dark Decadence, and opted for the vegan vanilla ice cream because I am lactose intolerant. Gotta live a little with the cakes; forget about the queasiness my stomach will face later! The cake consists of Theo chocolate (Theo is a Seattle chocolate company), dry-burnt caramel, and coco nib toffee) Because of the dry-burnt caramel, it did make the cake a little on too-sweet side. I'm pretty sensitive to overly sweet things, so you can take my take on that with a grain of salt. But the cake was super hot when when it arrived, and sooo melty. I will warn you though, it is pretty rich. I couldn't finish it, and needed my friend to help. The ice cream was a nice compliment to the cake, but I think with those two together, it was pretty sweet. All in all, great experience; even with many people there, it didn't feel too loud and you could carry a comfortable conversation there. read more

See all

Super rich chocolately dessert. When you walk in it smells just like a chocolate factory. The lighting at night is super romantic and cozy vibes. My friends and I shared the classic molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream topped w/ crumble. The chocolate cake was nice and warm with a gooey center. It's the perfect amount of cake, soft chocolate center and semisweetness. The ice cream complements the richness of the sweetness super well. Desserts take around 15 mins to make but worth the wait. Standard service, you order first at the counter and find seating. Overall great place for shareable dessert with friends if you're craving chocolatey dessert! read more

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

If you're really into sweet and really into chocolate (milk) this is the place for you. I go here mostly for the crème brûlée and at first I LOVED it here, but the space is quite small and if there's a long line you're definitely waiting outside. The chocolate is SUPER rich and so unless you're purchasing something to wash it down it it hard to maintain. They do warn you that the cakes are hot but when you really try it it REALLY is burning hot. I have burned my tongue the first time I went. read more

See all

What a happy place! I love a lava cakes and when I heard there was a place dedicated to them, I simply had to visit. Service is so friendly and kind. There was a bit of a wait to get our order, but they are made fresh and goodness takes patience. It was so delicious and a perfect snack to eat while watching the sunset. It's a bit expensive, but it's definitely yummy! read more

The hot cake itself was rich and flavorful and every bite was delicious, but there wasn't many bites to go around. The cafe itself was clean and bright, but it has communal seating so not very intimate (if you were coming for a date night, etc.) The value of the dessert was not worth the hefty price tag in my opinion. We paid ~$18 after tax for a small brownie hot cake with ice cream that was split between two people and finished very quickly. Taste was great but not worth the price. read more

This place was a pleasant surprise. I think molten cakes are way overdone, so I was super skeptical of a place named for that cake. What could they do differently that would make them better. Turns out plenty. First, there are all the flavors. And they have more than just molten cakes. The other baked goods and the drinks are also good. Finally, the clever serving "plates" are fun. Would go back anytime. read more

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

I was so excited to try this place. My s'more's molten cake came out all liquid. :( We got here a hour before they closed and they seemed very annoyed. Place had at least 15 people in there. Maybe that's why my cake was undercooked. Patio has a fireplace very cute. Asked to turn it on, that seemed a task for her too. I turned it off when we left. There were 4 of us, 2 out of 3 desserts were not cooked right. Anyways I will be trying it again. read more

My friend and I drove all the way over from Udistrict just to go to this Hot Cakes. Their hours are wrong on Google Maps and on their door. It says that they open at 2 PM on Fridays on the door, so we waited outside for 20 minutes very patiently and quietly. We were confused why no one was opening, so we rang the doorbell one time and waited for someone to come to the door. An employee propped open the door with her foot and very rudely asked if she could help us. We told her we were there because we thought they opened at 2 PM (because that's what it says on their door!), and she said very curtly that they opened at 4 PM, not 2 PM, and then slammed the door in our faces. To be clear, we LOVE this place and it's grilled cheese and chocolate lava cake and we're very disappointed to receive this kind of treatment. Hot Cakes please fix your hours!!! read more

Had a great afternoon here with my molten cake! We visited from PA and heard about this from friends. I love cakes and cookies so I had to try. I was the first person there so I got my order within 15 minutes. Got the regular dark decadence one and it was a lot. The others seemed overwhelming for my taste but if I had friends to share with I'd def try another flavor. Great service and the outdoor seating was a surprise and huge plus. It was really really good. I do personally prefer a slightly more baked center ... but the cake wasn't lacking in flavor. Ice cream was super yummy. It was expensive about $16 after tax. Definitely better to share one amongst 2-3 people as well. I ate mine alone but I was starving. They're pretty heavy. All in all id come again and try more! read more

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

See all

Took kiddo and their friends here for a treat. The line was out the door, but the tables turn fairly fast, so we were able to grab a seat together without too much fuss. Staff is super friendly and, when one of the kiddos ordered the S'mores cake, offered to let them try the smoked chocolate to make sure they liked it. I tried the Strawberry cake and wow! that was a wonderful treat. Extra points for offering DF/GF options. The seating area is crowded and somewhat noisy, but it's warm and everyone is generally pretty happy (I mean....we're eating cake here), so it feels comfortable and welcoming. read more

Really cute dessert place!! We loved the crème brûlée -- would definitely get it again. The molten lava cake was really good as well but after three bites it was too rich to finish (even with the ice cream). I would definitely come back again because it was a good place to get desserts that you would normally have to go to a restaurant to get. The service was amazing, everyone was super nice and accommodating. I also really liked the warm vibe read more

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

See all

I never write bad reviews but I am extremely angry right now. A friend and I drove all the way over to Ballard in extreme excitement to try the food here. Google Maps said they were open but turns out their hours are wrong online AND in the sign in person. We waited for a long time before knocking and were answered by an employee who was extremely rude to us. We are long time fans of this place and avid chocolate cake lovers so needless to say we were very upset. Hot Cakes please fix your hours!!! We love the food here so much it don't want anyone similarly disappointed. read more

Love this place! Perfect date night spot for after dinner. They're very decadent though I have to split with someone. I always get the dark decadence, the ice cream with Carmel and crunchy toffee bites are a great combo! Can get very busy late though so be ready to wait if it's packed. read more

Finally had to check out this hot cakes place I've heard good things about in the Seattle area. Barely anyone there on a weekday afternoon and parking wasn't too hard to find but I can see it being hard on a busier time of day. We got the dark decadence which I thought was alright. Very rich chocolate that becomes easier to eat with the vanilla ice cream that comes with it. Maybe it's better on a cold Seattle evening, but it wasn't anything too special. But I hated how much I liked my $11 seasonal blueberry milkshake. But this seasonal milkshake was really enjoyable. with little blueberry pieces inside. Came in a cute but seemingly large milkshake glass and I was shocked that I was able to finish it myself. read more

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

See all

Their cashew cheese grilled toast is amazing! It was too good that it got over before the thought of taking a picture crossed my mind ! Their molten cakes are Ofcourse are good. It is warm and comforting and not too sweet!! You have an option to choose from regular ice cream and vegan ice cream! The price is pretty steep for the quantity and the taste I would say and hence the 4 starters. It's probably a Ballard thing ??! It's usually pretty busy and located in one of the busy streets in Ballard ! That whole area has a great vibe and is a good weekend hangout spot read more

See all

Hot Cakes is a great cafe and dessert restaurant. We ordered a tea, a molten chocolate cake and warm cookies with ice cream desserts. The desserts were incredible, as well as the tea. This establishment has a lot of options for individuals with gluten sensitivity, as well as individuals on a vegan diet. We really enjoyed the food and atmosphere, this is a great place for coffee/tea and dessert. read more

See all

Pros: - Got strawberry molten cake. Was so good! - Ambiance was nice - Staff was friendly Cons: - IMO pricey for a small portion ($18 total including tax & tip read more

It was a cozy spot nestled in a busy street. Parking wasn't ample since there's plenty of cool things on this street to check out. We drove around in a few circles before we lucked out finding a spot on the street. It's a cool spot if you like molten cakes, but beware that these cakes are HEAVY and quite frankly, it was a little overly sweet for me. The ice cream was fantastic though - weird that the ice cream was my favorite place at a place that specializes in lava cakes, but it is what it is. I wish there was something else that came with the cakes to cut out some of the sweetness, but you can only eat so much sweet on sweet on sweet. It's a bit sad seeing their trash cans full of half eaten cakes, but I guess other patrons felt the same way. read more

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

See all

Stopped in with some friends after dinner on a weekday evening. The inside was quiet, and it was obvious the employee was politely tolerating our indecisiveness as we stared at the menu trying to decide what we wanted. The quietness and silent judgement led us to sitting outside in the cool (temp) outdoor seating area, where we spent the rest of the evening chatting over desserts. We ordered a variety of items, including cookies, creme brûlée, strawberry rhubarb crumble, and a strawberry shake. I don't remember being totally blown away by anything, so they're mostly just pretty desserts with a steep price tag - a Ballard thing? The only saving grace is that it wasn't too busy for the rest of the evening, so we didn't even realize that we had sat outside for a couple hours until an employee came out to start wiping down tables at closing time. We bussed our table and left, gracious that we weren't pressured to leave immediately after we finished our food. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Strawberry shake, cookies + ice cream, strawberry rhubarb crumble, and creme brûlée - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I am a HUGE fan of molten lava cakes, so when we passed by this place I had to go in and try something! It was after 7pm on a sunny Saturday evening and we easily ordered and got a seat luckily. We ordered the peanut butter molten cake. It came out in about 10 minutes so it didn't take long at all! It was so lava-y and rich. I absolutely loved it! The ice cream scoop was necessary to be able to balance out the richness of the chocolate. The ice cream wasn't anything special but it tasted good! There was water at the counter, thank goodness. I think the only downside is the cost of everything. It was about $16 for the cake and ice cream. Although I understand a larger cake would be way to rich in flavor to eat all of it, over $10 is kind of a lot for dessert. I'm happy I dropped by but not sure if I'd come back again. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Peanut butter molten cake - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Gooey deliciousness in a bowl...sign me up! The parking was a nightmare but the sweet treats were well worth it. There was a line out the door but it went pretty quick. There is limited space inside but there is covered seating outside. Unfortunately there are no heaters. This place is a bit spendy so I would recommend sharing your dish. It was so rich and it was plenty big enough for 2 people. read more

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

See all

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Decided to end our night with some dessert. Place was busy but not too crowded. Servers here are very nice and good amount of indoor/outdoor seating. The patio area is lit well with string lights and heaters. The cakes were so rich in chocolate and I thought it was the perfect portion for one person. Loved the crispy too and gooey middle. The ice cream paired well with the cakes. We ordered: - Dark Decadence: good amount of rich and bitterness of the dark chocolate - Gooey Brownie Cake: very rich and delicious - Apple Bottom Cocktail (apple cider, salted caramel, and rum): just okay, think it would've tasted better if it was iced read more

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

See all

Easily the best molten cake I've had! The chocolate that they use have a nice, dark flavor. The cake itself is baked perfectly, where the edges have a slight crust and the filling is warm and flavorful. The plate that it's served on is also very unique and adds to the experience. Super good, definitely coming back read more

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

Really fun dessert to get in Ballard and delicious. I highly recommend, but it does get busy. Fun thing to do with a friend.

Do you need to treat yourself for doing something amazing?! This is the place! The peanut butter cookie with vanilla ice cream is sooooo good. It comes with 3 warm cookies, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a burnt sugar sauce. It is super sweet, so you have to share with someone. read more

Hot Cakes - Ballard - Peanut Butter Cookie A La Mode - Desserts Near Me - Seattle, Washington