Orders are taken quickly, almost faster than you expect, and then the pace shifts entirely. The food comes out extremely slow -- not in a frustrating way, but in a "whatever they're doing back there must take time" kind of way. Watching the staff work, you get the sense that making these pancakes isn't just cooking; it's a slow, careful process that can't be rushed. And honestly, the wait ends up being worth it. Seating is limited, and that's putting it gently. This is not the place to show up with a group or try to squeeze in a big table. It's better suited for one or two people who don't mind settling in and letting the kitchen take its time. Once the pancakes arrive, everything makes sense -- the slow pace, the tiny space, the deliberate cooking. It's a small operation doing something very specific, and doing it well. read more

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

Staff was kind and fast in service. We came at 10am and waited probably 5 mins to get a table. We got the iced matcha latte and wasn't too sweet but I didn't love the matcha quality and that's my only reason for 1 star off. We also got the custard and earl grey pancakes. It was delicious and not too sweet. Fruits tasted fresh. Would so try the matcha cream next time. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Custard pancakes - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

While in The Loop, I was intrigued when I found out there was a Japanese soufflé pancake shop in the area. Hanabusa Cafe is a restaurant which offers soufflé pancakes and specialty drinks. Unlike in Japan where soufflé pancakes are eaten for breakfast, this is more of a dessert cafe, especially since Hanabusa opens at 9am. The place itself isn't too big and the revolving entrance door placement is a bit misleading since it is off to the side appearing to go into another business. Although tables and chairs are available, ordering is done at the register and I wouldn't exactly classify this as a sit down restaurant. I arrived on a Thursday just after noon and there were a couple parties already dining in. I ordered the earl gray and sea salt caramel soufflé pancake and was told the wait would be around twenty minutes, which was fine since I wasn't in a hurry. This arrived at the table and had earl grey tea sauce under whipped cream and sliced strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. The pancakes were denser than I expected but the earl gray sauce was definitely the star of the dish (and the main reason I ordered this); the flavor was evident without overpowering the rest of the ingredients or adding too much sweetness. The whipped cream seemed like filler, the caramel made the dish a little too sweet, and the slice fruit added flavors to the plate. Luckily I was looking at the fruit before eating since I found a pointy stem sticking out of one of the blueberries. I also didn't notice the sea salt flavor in the mix of everything on the plate. Otherwise, the plate composition was not bad. Hanabusa Cafe is a nice place that offers something unique in the area. However, I do not think it is worth coming out of your way for since the execution could be improved, especially with the removal of stems from the fruit. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Earl gray and sea salt caramel soufflé pancake - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fluffy pancakes are so amazing. Strawberry and cream cheese was our favorite. Small quiet place everyone was very friendly. Hope to come back before we head home. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Strawberry and cream cheese - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped here for breakfast after our original choice was booked solid. Located in-line with other businesses, this isn't a large place but it was clean. I ordered the original pancakes and an iced vanilla latte. Both were good. Staff was friendly. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Japanese souffle pancakes 5 stars, service 1 star. I look forward to visiting this place for the pancakes only every time I'm in town. The pancakes always come out pretty good but this time my boba was terrible and pretty much tasted like water. I find their wait staff to be very unapproachable so I did not even think to have them remake the Boba. Next time I'm in town, I might come for the pancakes and nothing more. read more

I liked this pretty well. My pancakes were smotherd in nutella and then I realized why I have suddenly become obese in the past year.

Cloud pancakes are worth the wait. It took about 35 minutes to get our order. My daughter said she loved the peach green tea Boba it was delicious. We had the original pancakes and Nutella pancakes. I recommend picking a flavored pancake as it is plain pancake with toppings. read more

We came here because we saw they served the fluffy cloud pancakes! There was a variety of options such as Nutella and taro. It is an order at the counter and find a seat setup. We ended up getting the taro pancakes and it wasn't too crowded when we first got there, but was packed when we left on a Sunday morning! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Taro pancakes - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When I saw their advertisement for fluffy pancakes on the street and knew I had to stop by. We came around 9:30am on a Saturday morning and the place was busy, but there was still ample seating to accommodate us. My dining partner and I ordered the Nutella pancake, which included Nutella sauce, strawberry, blueberry, banana, whipping cream, and chopped peanuts. After we ordered and right before paying, we were told that all pancakes take about 20 minutes to prepare as they are made to order and asked if that would be alright. That was fine with us, but I wish there were a sign by the register to let us know before we ordered. The pancake itself was absolutely delightful, and a much try for cute food enthusiasts. When you shake the plate, the pancake does a little jiggle, which makes for an adorable video. There was also a small pink flag on the top that read "Hanabusa." We split the pancake because it looked relatively large and neither of us were that hungry, but we could have gotten two. The place consisted of three fat pancakes, but because of their airy nature, were a lot lighter and less filling than anticipated. The additional fruit, nuts, and nutella did a nice job of grounding it, but let this be your warning to each get your own! Overall this was a great experience and would highly recommend. read more

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

The spot is cute, but a little small so not a lot of seating. The pancakes are good a fluffy but it was very sweet and we came to eat breakfast so it was a bit much. It's definitely a good spot to get a sweet snack, and probably share one. The service was okay, but I get it because they get really busy. read more

Arrived with my mini me on a Saturday afternoon after a few outings nearby. There was plenty seating, so we chose a lovely spot near the cutest floral signage with plenty of outdoor lightening. The staff was very informative, letting us know what they had an available. Our After a quick glance at the menu, we decided on splitting the Taro pancakes & 2 milk teas. drinks arrived first and they were yummy. Not long after we got our pancakes and we were so impressed. It was almost too pretty to eat but once we dug in, we couldn't stop eating.The fresh fruit on the side and the whipped cream and sauce was a nice and sweet touch. read more

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This cafe is a cute idea but lacks execution. The pancakes were delicious but the setting is rather ordinary. This could be a really cute and unique place but overall the experience was just average. Gyoza were just okay but the savory items were appreciated. read more

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This place was delicious! I adored my mocha pancakes. They were so fluffy that they melted in my mouth. They had a very nice chocolate and coffee cream on top. The fresh whipped cream and fruit complimented it perfectly. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Mocha Soufflé Pancakes - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Heard this place was famous for their soufflé pancakes, so had to come try. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you. The pancakes take about 15 min to make, but to be expected. I ordered the matcha pancakes and a cup of matcha to drink. The pancakes were perfectly cooked all the way, light, fluffy, and bouncy. The matcha syrup was a good amount of sweet and earthy. The fruit on the side was nice as well. The matcha tea was basic too. Overall, pretty cute spot that does pancakes pretty well. Each plate comes with 3 pancakes which was plenty for me. read more

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

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We stumbled upon this cafe when we were looking for breakfast options near our hotel. The custard souffle pancakes were delicious and fluffy, the custard was light and flavorful. Nutella souffle pancakes came with fruits and it was delicious as well. We also enjoyed the matcha drinks, you can taste the matcha. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent presentation and good things take time to prepare. Love the menu and best soufflé pancakes! Highly recommend! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Delicious le creme custard - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Surprisingly it wasn't packed but still had to wait about 30 min for the food to be ready. Well worth it though! The pancakes were delicious , seemed like we were eating clouds! We had the Nutella pancakes and the taro pancakes. The Nutella ones were a bit too sweet For my taste but the taro ones , outstanding!!!!! Cappuccino was good as well! Definitely recommend! read more

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Japanese Pancakes are one of my favourite desserts. We tried the Mocha pancake, which was super delicious and so soft & fluffy. Great presentation and good service too! The ambiance was like a cute cafe with pink aesthetics, very instagrammable :) read more

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I ordered takeout form hanabusa and was pleasantly surprised but the food. The pancakes were so fluffy and soft! They just melt in your mouth. They didn't taste eggy which was a surprise. I tried the ones with Nutella toppings that included a generous amount of Nutella, whipped cream, caramels and peanuts. Loved them and I will be definitely be ordering more from here! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was my second time trying Hanabusa's soufflés. This time to dine in. I've had take out before, and I can confidently say it's only good if you eat it fresh at the time they make it. The unfortunate part is seating is limited. But you'll probably find a seat before your food comes out. Both times ordering here, the service is extremely slow... I think we waited nearly 30-40 minutes for the matcha soufflé. However on the positive note, the drinks did come a bit faster. I did enjoy it made fresh. It was warm, sweet and the matcha had a strong flavor. The fruits were also pretty fresh. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yummy and Fluffy soufflé pancakes topped with creamy custard or matcha and both topped with fresh berries. So delicious and decadent! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Custard and matcha pancakes - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Arrrgghfhgg!!! Where I came from (The Bay), they didn't have a spot that specialized in Soufflé Pancakes. And I suck at making them. So when Hanabusa Cafe appeared on my search for brunch in DT Chicago it was a no brainer for me. I dragged my husband with me first thing in the morning so that we don't have to wait in line. Thank Goodness there was no line but the menu was a little confusing. They gave us a menu and we had to order in line first, and of course it being our first time here, we were attracted to the pictures and didn't notice the handwritten strawberry cream flavors (also our heads were down reading the menu rather than up looking at the TV advertising (which has the SC flavor - obviously we missed out on that). I had checked the menu on yelp before going and already knew I wanted the earl grey pancakes. When we got there, I saw that there were two favorites. I asked our teller which would he recommended between the fan-fav of Custard Vs the Earl Grey. His answer was "... well... they are very different flavors..." and that was as descriptive as he got -- so I just stuck with my Earl Grey. My husband told me I was being a butthole and why did I ask for their recommendation if I was only going to go with my original. I told him I asked for their thoughts and recommendations and he didn't really sell it to me, duh! I'm very aware that those are two different flavors but maybe if they can tell me more about the flavors and why he liked one over the other, I may have been sold. Be excited about what you sell/serve! Anyway. The husband had the plain and I had earl grey and no regrets. Only regret I had was not being able to go again before we had to leave Chicago and my husband's regret that he didn't see the strawberry cream earlier as he would have gotten that one. So don't miss out on that! 1 star down because service could have been better. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Plain and Earl Grey - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went to Hanabusa on a weekday morning and it wasn't very crowded. We shared the matcha souffle pancake for two, and the presentation was amazing! the sauce on the side made pouring it super fun and visually so appetizing. The fruits were fresh and the pancakes had a great fluffy texture, though I felt the flavor itself lacked a little oomph and didn't fully stand out under the powdered sugar. Seating on the windowsill was unique, even if a bit crammed, and service was fine, nothing special but nothing bad. Overall, it's worth trying once for the experience and presentation, but I'm not sure I'd come back consistently. read more

The pancakes are quite singular. I had the Taro and was quite pleased with both the flavor and the texture. The service, while efficient was not super friendly, but not rude by any measure. Super cute ambiance. I sat in the window at a low table and delighted in horking down my food as passers-by looked on. read more

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

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Mouth watering. Scrumptious. All the things. Their coffees and teas are ca units as well. The custard cakes were my fave. JUST GO! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Extremely slow. Place gets busy and is not that big so plan on waiting for a table. Thankfully there were tables available when we walked in. A bit of a fast food feel, to be honest, except it is anything BUT fast. The pancakes take 20-30min to prepare and the cashier didn't tell us until AFTER we ordered. I'm we were hungry so had we known, we would have gone somewhere else. We also ordered lemonade and they didn't tell us they were out until 30min after we ordered. Pancakes were good but in my opinion not worth the wait. Don't regret trying it but probably wouldn't go back. My drink (pictured) was DELICIOUS. If I do go back, it would be for this. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Veryberry Tea - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First off, those of you who are not familar with the area, be sure to look NEXT door to the actual Heyworth building entrance with the address on it. It took me good 5 minutes to look around inside the office building before making my way outside to look next door for another entrance. Or maybe it's just my ignorance. Either way, you've been warned. Speaking of warnings, pancakes will take good 20+ minutes to make, so don't be rushed. I noticed that the marketing videos playing in the store warns you about it, but the store clerks did not. A lady next table over asked at least three times whether food was coming. I mean, if you think about it, fluffy pancakes require very delicate fire work, so it makes sense. Not to mention it literally takes 2 minutes to eat the whole thing because the cakes are so light and fluffy. Pancakes themselves were very satisfying, both the texture and the taste. But where it fell short for me was the overwhelming sweetbess of the toppings and sauces. I think they could have balanced it out better. I'd say it's worth a try if you've never tried fluffy souffle pancakes before, or if you can handle the overwhelming sweetness unlike me. To someone like myself, there are other places who can balance their offerings better, although probably not from anyone nearby. I probably would never be back, but I definitely think your mileage will vary. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Earl grey + salted caramel - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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First time trying Japanese soufflé pancakes and I was so excited!! So so worth the hype - these are so incredibly fluffy and delicious! The perfect light dessert after a meal. We got the custard soufflé. It was brûléed at the top, but overall could've used a bit more flavor. We also tried the matcha soufflé, which had a nice balance of fruit to matcha ratio. The furikake fries had four sprinkles of furikake and were super overcooked and hard. Note: Apparently lines are usually super long. We got lucky and were seated immediately at 4:30pm on a Saturday. Less ppl near dinner time! It does take a while to get your order - we waited a good 30-45 minutes! However this makes sense, every pancake is made to order and cooked fresh! They have mostly two tops and some four seaters. read more

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Excellent fluffy Japanese pancakes... even better than the ones we had at A Happy Pancake in Tokyo a few months ago. The only reason they didn't get 5 stars is because the cashier didn't know the answers to most of the questions we had about the menu. read more

Cute little cafe for soufflé pancakes and drinks. It's good to try if you've never had soufflé pancakes before, but I thought they were just ok. I ordered the earl grey sea salt caramel pancakes but the flavor just ran sweet. Service is friendly but can be slow. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Soufflé pancakes were amazing. Soft and light, topped with fresh fruits and choice of cream flavors. Highly recommend the earl grey. Delicious without being too sweet. Ice teas and smoothies a must try. Great ambience and service. Add this place to your breakfast stop! read more

I went here once when it first opened and now had the chance again to go! Their soufflé pancakes are so so good! Great for a little snack and a drink. It does take a little bit for the food to get ready as they're made to order. It's also a bit pricey I think. The cafe itself is pretty small with limited seating. I would go here as a treat once in a while but probably not all the time. read more

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

It looks like I forgot to review this place when I went! It's so good. I enjoyed my fluffy pancakes very much and cannot wait till the next time I go again. It is a busy place! We were lucky to get a seat, we might have waited just a few minutes as the previous occupants finished up. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I never got to try the jiggly soufflé pancakes on my trip to Japan, so I was excited to see that I could have the same experience closer to home! It's fairly small inside and we were lucky to get a table even though it was quite early. The order process is simple. Pick your flavor/style, maybe add a drink, then sit and wait for a delicious delivery. Only 40 minutes after opening they were already sold out of the matcha pancakes. Luckily we each had a backup choice ready. My husband chose the traditional, I chose the crème. I knew there would be a long wait so I didn't balk at the 30 minutes. That's not due to how busy they are, soufflé pancakes cook low and slow, averaging 20 minutes or longer. But it's worth the wait. The pancakes themselves are less sweet but eggier in flavor. Think French toast. Mine had a delicious cream brûlée flavored topping, complete with the torched sugar on top that offers a fun and satisfying crunch. Each of the three pancakes were cooked perfectly and served with slices of fruit on the side. It was quite filling, even in spite of the light and airy texture. The dining area was clean and service was fast and friendly. I hope to make it back soon! read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Expensive but very good soufflé pancakes. I ordered the earl grey and salted caramel ones which I would HIGHLY recommend. The flavors were truly amazing. I would say that the pancakes are a bit over priced, but you do get three heavy pancakes, for which I could only eat 1 1/2 before getting full. The staff here were super friendly and willing to tell you their favorite recommendations. My favorite part of this cafe is the floor seating near the window. It really brings the atmosphere of the cafe to life. read more

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

Cute spot downtown Chicago that serves fluffy Japanese styled pancakes. Although overpriced it was definitely soft and tasty. Presentation could have been a bit better as some of the fruits used weren't as fresh. Service was great, even though there was a bit of a wait. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Since moving back to the US, I've been desperate to find a lot of the foods I used to eat all the time. One particular decadent dessert are the very fluffy ふわふわ pancakes. Hanabusa boasts multiple soufflé pancakes and my sister and I decided to try the mocha and original pancakes. The jiggly-ness is definitively on point!! Unfortunately, I think the original pancake and the whipped cream don't have much of a flavor to them. I really needed the sparse amount of fruit to give them SOMETHING. I think, as a start, this is promising, but I wish there was maybe more toppings to help give it a little more flavor. This isn't a problem for ones like matcha and mocha pancakes since they have tons of topping, but the original pancakes need a bit more. They were quite busy only an hour into their opening, so I'm looking forward to seeing this place develop and their menu get better! read more

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So unbelievable tasty! Definitely will be coming back. The service was excellent and faster than I expected. Pancakes made fresh to order so there is a little bit of a wait but the atmosphere and comfortable setting makes up for it. read more

Hanabusa Cafe - Pancakes Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food: It's been a few months since I've tried their hot Kyoto Matcha latte, and it is a drink that's stuck with me to this day; it's hard to find good matcha nowadays! The drink was creamy and wasn't too sweet; the bitterness was prominent but not overwhelming -- overall, this drink captured everything I was looking for. However, if you have a sweet tooth, I'd suggest taking some additional sugar packets from the counter. I wish I had gotten to try their souffle pancakes, but I was already on a sugar high, + the worker told us that waiting for a pancake would have required us to wait an additional 20+ min. Ambiance/Service: Hanabusa's decor was cute, and I adored the seating near the windows! However, space was extremely limited, and they could only let in about 4 people at a time (we came on a Sunday morning). I'm not sure if it's this packed on a weekday, but the wait time is something to consider when planning your visit. One gripe I have is the prices. I modified my drink by requesting oat milk, and in total, I paid $7+ for my drink, but the serving was quite small (about the size of the palm of my hand, for reference); I found the pricing abysmal for how much I was getting. The drink could have easily been finished in less than 10 sips. While I would consider returning to Hanabusa, I think there are other cafe-styled dessert places in Chicago I'd rather try. read more

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