Ambiance: Matcha Cafe Maiko is one of a few tea shops specializing in Matcha flavored drinks and desserts in Japantown. There is no seating located in this particular cafe but plenty of outdoor seating directly outside. The general area can be pretty crowded due to the other store fronts within the mall so if you want a more relaxed matcha tea shop to do work or relax it would be better to order and then leave. Service: They have both a kiosk and a barista taking orders. Staff were friendly and working efficiently and quickly to fill the orders as they were being placed. Wait time: Generally depends on when you go since Japantown mall is a heavily toured area by locals and visitors to the Bay Area but I'd say roughly 10-15 minutes max from standing in line to receiving your drink. Food: The matcha ice cream has a deep matcha flavor with a nice concentration of powder which can be tasted in the soft serve. They also top the soft serve with a light dusting of matcha powder to further enhance the flavors. The cone was soft and light with a gentle sweetness that pairs really well against with the earthiness of the matcha. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Matcha Soft Serve - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Everything from Matcha Cafe Maiko is special. Ironically, for some mysterious reason, I don't actually like matcha, which feels like a personal failing every time I walk in. Luckily, their other tea offerings are just as good, so I never feel left out. The black sesame latte is a longtime favorite, but today I went with the hojicha frappe and it was excellent. It's not as creamy as, say, a Frappuccino, and the ice crystals are a little larger, but honestly that works in its favor because the roasted hojicha flavor comes through so much more clearly. Deep, toasty, and not overly sweet. Their sundaes are also ridiculously fun, loaded with all kinds of bouncy, chewy little goodies that make your dessert an activity rather than just a course. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Hojicha frappe with boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Line of ~10 people around 4pm on a Sunday. It moved very fast, and once you get to the front you can order via iPad OR the register. I got the #3 Maiko Special with Matcha soft serve and added Oreo Crush ($0.50), total $11.54. It was amazing, but it took me halfway through the soft serve to realize there were corn flakes, red bean, and grass jelly way at the bottom. Hard to eat the various ingredients all together in a tall cup like that. read more

I recently tried their new seasonal flavor, black tea soft serve. I mean, just WOW! I really like this flavor. I'm not sure how long they will have this flavor but I definitely want to have it again. I can really taste the black tea flavor. It has a slight bitterness and just the right amount of tea flavor that it's not overpowering. The sweetness level was also just right. Next to the matcha flavor, this is my 2nd favorite flavor. I tried their waffle cone for the first time and was surprised it wasn't that sweet either which I liked. Now if they offered a matcha flavored waffle cone, that would be amazing. A bit of a warning though, I think it was the caffeine that kept me awake past midnight. They also have this fermented tea drink right now called, "Bodai." It was unique but not something I'd get again. read more

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If you're even remotely obsessed with matcha and ice cream, consider this your sign to run to Matcha Cafe Maiko in Japantown. I ordered their matcha + vanilla swirl soft serve in a waffle cone, and honestly it was the chef's kiss. The balance between the earthy, slightly bitter matcha and the smooth, creamy vanilla was absolutely on point. Neither flavor overpowered the other -- they blended together in that perfect harmony that true matcha fans appreciate. The texture was exactly what you want from soft serve: silky, light, and melt-in-your-mouth smooth. And the waffle cone? Fresh, crisp, and the ideal crunchy companion to the creamy swirl. Ambiance: The cafe itself is on the smaller side, but don't let that deter you. There's plenty of seating right outside in the mall area, making it a great spot to sit with your cone and indulge in some quality people-watching. It can get a bit loud during busy times, but the lively Japantown energy honestly adds to the experience. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Soft Serve - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

A solid Matcha Cafe Maiko location. I remember visiting it years ago when it first opened, and I still stop by regularly whenever I'm in Japantown. My go-to order is usually a hojicha latte or float. I enjoy the more roasted flavor. The soft serves and parfaits are also good when I'm craving more of a dessert treat. The service is quick, even when there's a line out the store. However, the setup and layout could be improved. It's difficult to see the menu on the wall while waiting in line. And the placement of their kiosk should be moved closer to the counter so that people don't have to awkwardly decide if they should wait for the kiosk or order with an employee. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Hojicha Float & Matcha Frappe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I come every month for the seasonal flavors. This month is black sesame and hojicha! This is my favorite soft serve place in the city. The soft serve is nice and creamy. I recommend the waffle cone. I'm always impressed by the structural stability of the waffle cone, it doesn't break apart as the soft serve melts. The store is nice and cute in a very convenient location in the mall. There are tables you can sit at outside the store but still in the mall. The staff are friendly. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Hojicha black sesame Soft Serve - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I really like this matcha maiko location! It's tucked away in the downstairs corner of the mall. The matcha latte and matcha lemonade are my favorite drinks. The matcha latte is creamy and full sweet isn't super sweet in my opinion. The matcha lemonade is sour and refreshing if you don't want a milky drink. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Quick and easy to order drinks from a cashier or an iPad. I ordered my usual strawberry matcha and it's the same amazing quality as their other locations. There's nowhere to sit or throw away your trash. It's not a cafe to hang around or for meetings read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Solid matcha! Matcha isn't bitter at all and the matcha itself tastes good. If I had people who were iffy about green tea, I'd definitely take them here. The portions are generous and the service is quick. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Outside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Probably my favorite place to get matcha soft serve in the Bay Area. I love the strong bitter taste of matcha! The soft serve is also not too sweet. They give a generous amount of ice cream, it fills up pretty much almost all the way to the bottom of the cone. This is located in the West Mall of Japantown - down the stairs. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Matcha Soft Serve - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

This was so yummy delicious soft served matcha ice-cream I had outside of Japan! Last year, I had the best matcha ice cream in Kyoto. One I had today brought me that same flavor and pleasure. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - The best Matcha soft ice-cream outside of Japan - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

We love this place! We always stop by when we're in the area. The quality of matcha is good and everything is tasty! Wish there was one in Monterey! read more

The OG location of this growing chain is located on the bottom floor of the East Mall in Japantown. Every time I see Matcha Café Maiko, it's hard to resist! Originally, I would always order their soft serve in a cone but my go-to now is usually a latte float b/c it's the best of both worlds. I've been to several locations and it always seems like this one has the longest line, but it moves fairly quickly because there's a cashier and a kiosk. This time, I decided to go with a large Hojicha Latte Float with Matcha Soft Serve ($7.60). +IMO this is one of the best matcha soft serves b/c it's creamy, packed with matcha flavor, and not too sweet. +Hojicha latte was roasty, nutty, and not too sweet. +No upcharge for no ice -Hojicha was grainy, especially towards the bottom. Side notes: 1.) Self-serve napkins, spoons, and straws 2.) Tables available inside and around the mall 3.) Walking distance from MUNI 22, 38, 38R bus stops *Verdict: 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 d/t fast and friendly service. Solid spot for soft serve even if you're not a matcha fan since they always have vanilla and rotating flavors. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Large Hojicha Latte Float with Matcha Soft Serve: Requested no ice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

One of my go to spots for matcha and hojiicha teas! The drinks here are always solid and strong. The drinks are customizable. You have sweetness level and non dairy options here. They also sell soft serve ice cream here with seasonal flavors that change every month in addition to their standard vanilla and matcha flavors. The staff is always friendly and they pump out the drinks pretty quickly without jeopardizing the quality. This little cafe gets pretty busy on the weekends! So prepare to wait in line during peak hours. They are always playing music and have limited seating inside. There is plenty of seating outside inside of the mall. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Matcha Cheese Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great ice cream. The matcha is very strong, and I decided to get a different flavor this time. It was very interesting and I'm definitely glad I tried it. Staff are nice. There's always a long line though and not a ton of places to sit, but the area is nice being next to a lot of Japanese decorations. read more

Updated review : Came back to this matcha maiko location to try another item on their menu. The team reached out & kindly offered to give them another shot, I decided to get the matcha latte float. The ice cream was tea forward, smooth & delicious, just how I remembered it to be. The latte itself was also much improved this time, it wasn't gritty, or too sweet although I didn't adjust the sweetness level. My friend tried the black sesame latte & it was also quite good, she subbed it with plant based milk & I think it worked really well. I'm glad I got to stop by and enjoy a better made matcha this time. read more

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Got the boba sundae with the matcha vanilla mix. I went late at night so there were no lines and there were plenty of tables to sit outside. Boba was super soft and chewy, I believe it's coated in some brown sugar syrup, which on its own is probably a bit sweet but the matcha ice cream with its slight bitterness and grassy taste does a wonderful job at balancing it out. Overall this still felt like a pretty light dessert. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

The matcha here is STRONG!! I got a matcha frappe w boba & a biscoft matcha latte. Both were vibrant green with really smooth texture. The boba flavor & texture was really good too. Both drinks were highly caffeinated, neither were finished. The menu had a lot of variety in flavors (banana, biscoft, strawberry), formats (soft serve, latte, frappe), and toppings (different types of boba, cloud top, Oreo). read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Biscoff latte & matcha frappe w regular boba - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nestled on the corner of the first floor in the building. There's almost always a line but it goes by relatively quickly. Obviously you're here for the matcha. The soft serve has a good texture and viscosity and the flavor is not artificial. A great balance of the greenness of matcha tea and sweetness to be an enjoyable dessert. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Luna wanting some... - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I think this place has one of the better matchas in the city. I got the matcha latte float, no sugar, and I wait for the icecream to melt into the drink for the perfect amount of sweetness ; another option I sometimes go for is matcha ice cream with matcha cake at the bottom, and I wait for the ice cream to melt into the cake. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm a sucker for a banana matcha latte, and I have to say I'm a fan of Cafe Maiko's! While I get the latte version, my husband gets the blended version. They're both pretty good! I do believe it's a seasonal menu item, so not sure how long it'll stick around. From their base menu, I usually get their strawberry matcha tea or their matcha sparkler. I can never go wrong with either of these choices! Service is pretty decent at this location. They're usually busy, especially on the weekends. But the drinks normally come out quickly. The decor inside is minimal, but the storefront is bright and clean. There aren't places to sit inside, but there's seating available outside. I'm a creature of habit when I come here, so I don't venture too much outside of my usuals. But willing to try some soft serve next time I'm in the mood for it! Give em a try if you're in Japantown! read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Every time I go to this Matcha location there's always a line so I'm sure everything is delicious as well as as their consistency between this particular Japantown location and a couple others in San Francisco. I ordered a Matcha lemonade and it tasted perfect to me! I always wait to enjoy my drink until after the ice has melted, so I can mix in the water from the ice to the drink. Plus, it's a little more room temperature for me. Lol. Everything tasted delicious and I was able to order my drink in a reasonable amount of time since I wasn't lying out the door. My friend got a sample of the Matcha ice cream, which I didn't even know they gave samples of! Goodness, what have I been missing out on?! I was able to get my drink and head off to my movie! I will definitely be back!! read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Matcha Lemon Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have been to several other Matcha Cafe Maiko locations, mainly in the East Coast. Quality and selection varies, but this location has good quality and selection. My favorite soft-serve flavor is their hojicha+ube swirl, but they do not always have it. The current soft serve swirl combination is fermented tea+strawberry, which is very good. The line can get long on weekends. With no seating in the cafe, make sure to grab a table in the common mall area early. There is also no trash can in the cafe! I guess you have to dispose of leftover cups and used napkins in the common mall area as well. read more

Great options for matcha. Floats are superior and I love a good soft serve! Gets busy but usually in waves. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Menu for lattes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

We stopped by after dinner craving something cold and sweet, and there was a long line! Luckily, it moved really fast, and the staff was super friendly and efficient getting everyone's orders out quickly. This place is always a favorite of mine--the matcha flavor is spot on, not too bitter and not too sweet. I'd definitely come back! They had some good music playing too so the whole store shop was vibing! read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I usually love Matcha Cafe Maiko for their consistently amazing matcha lattes. I have been to this location, as well as the ones in Chinatown + Westfield Valley Fair, several times. I've never been let down...until today There was only one other person waiting in the cafe when my sister ordered a small strawberry matcha latte. We got it very quickly after ordering. Right off the bat, it did not look right. From the shade of the matcha to the color of the strawberry, it did not give!! The green was muted and not like the usual vibrant color I know and love from this place. Suspicions were validated when I tried it. The strawberry was SO sweet and tasted like a poor-quality artificial jam. I swear I've gotten the strawberry matcha latte before and it definitely did not taste sickly sweet like this. The matcha itself was watery, lacking in richness, and not creamy at all. Not sure if this is due to the matcha shortage, but as someone who values this place for their [usual] consistency and high quality drinks, I was extremely disappointed. I'm scared to return in fear of further tarnishing my now wavering appreciation for Matcha Cafe Maiko. My sister (middle school age) had no complaints and enjoyed her drink. I'm seeing now that other folks have had similar poor experiences with this location's strawberry matcha latte. Hopefully the other drinks are still good--can't say I'm eager to return to try them, though. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Are - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Matcha was so good! Tried the new biscoff matcha and it did not disappoint. Banana matcha was delicious and had the cookie crumbs as well which complimented the drink so well. We came to the Kinokuniya bookstore and got Sanrio San Francisco keychain plushies. We stumbled upon this matcha spot and are so glad. Barista was nice and helpful, it's an inside mall so there's tables outside the shop. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Banana matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Oh my gosh. Okay first of all me and my friend wanted a little sweet treat while we were walking around and we stumbled on this spot and we were obsessed!!!! The soft serve is sooo good and HUGE!! I will say walking around eating this whole thing was more of a challenge to finish it before it melted but we weren't going to let any of this go to waste... all i have to say is thank goodness we got our steps in while eating it!! 10/10 would recommend read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Soft Serve - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

They do it all good. I mean the soft serve is delicious but if youre going to come I would get one of their specialty cups with all the stuff going on. Its more fun and flavorful! Service is quick, note that there are no customizations. No ambience its grab and go. Youre in a mall so walk around but beware you cant take your treats inside any of the little cute stores. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friends and I had a spa day nearby and then decided to eat at Japantown and later have some dessert as we were walking around. I've been wanting to try this place out, as it always has a line out the door. My friends opted to have milk tea as their dessert, so I was the only one who tried something. After looking through the menu, I decided a matcha soft serve ice cream is what I wanted and would be easiest as I continued to browse around the shops. The soft serve was creamy with good matcha flavor - not bitter or too sweet. I enjoyed the waffle cone it came with. I would go back to try some of the other items on the menu if I were around the area again, but it doesn't make me have a need to come back soon. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Food Rating: 7 Price: 8 Ambiance/Service: 7 Overall Rating: 7.5 Matcha Latte - oat milk ($6.80) Rating (7/10) Very rich matcha flavor, not watered down at all! It was just a bit grainy. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I recently tried their matcha ice cream, and it was top-tier. One of the best matcha flavors I've ever had! read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Matcha ice cream - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

A classic matcha spot in Japantown, Matcha Cafe Maiko does not fail to disappointment a majority of the time. Rarely am I able to order immediately; there always is a line in the small shop with no seating! Of course, there's seating available around the mall. Most recently, I ordered their matcha, and my friend ordered the mixed vanilla and matcha soft serve which matcha powder on top. The taste for their soft serve and drinks are always consistent, which is a good rich flavor of matcha. I've occasionally tried some other of their unique selections, such as the Golden Matcha Ice Cream, but I love to stick to their classic matcha or hojicha drink and/or soft serve. This is one of the first dessert places I usually recommend for my friends in this area of SF! read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Matcha (left) and Vanilla & Matcha Soft Serve (right) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

First time trying Matcha Cafe Maiko! There is a kiosk to order off or an employee can help with your order, service is pretty quick once you order and the line moves fairly fast. Small shop, no seating inside. My husband and I ordered a banana matcha and strawberry matcha and both tasted delicious, we enjoyed it and next time want to try their matcha soft serve. read more

i love strawberry matchas, so i had to try it from here! saw this place all over my tik tok and it is definitely worth the hype! i want to go back and try the ice cream! read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love matcha soft serve, it's a guilty pleasure. I was in the area and my friend who has visited here before highly recommended Match Cafe Maiko and boy am I glad she did. It's a small little shop inside the mall on the first floor. You wouldn't notice it, unless you really looked. I was fortunate to just have missed the line, and was very glad to do so because the line was quite a long when I first came by. They serve quite a bit of variations of matcha: lattes, teas, and desserts. I got the matcha soft serve in a cup and it was flavorful and not overpowering. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. read more

I LOVE their matcha soft serve! I still can't decide which is my favorite--this one or the Maruwu Seicha in Palo Alto. I always get the soft serve on the ice cream cone. Usually I'm pretty ambivalent towards ice cream cones, but the cones here are just PERFECT in flavor, texture and thickness. They use the best ice cream cones in my opinion. As for the soft serve, it always come out perfectly chilled and creamy, with that amazing savory almost velvety matcha flavor. There's usually a long line here, especially on weekends, but the staff have the process so streamlined that you never wait very long. This place is always on our stop list when we have guests from out of town that are touring the Japan Center Malls. read more

It's located inside SF's Japantown. This is my favorite matcha dessert place! I absolutely love their matcha soft serve. It's definitely the best I've ever had. Love how efficient and fast this location is. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Big fan of the cone, it was crumbly upon biting made it feel very fresh. I got the matcha vanilla swirl soft serve, comes with matcha powder on top. Pretty smooth ice cream but nothing mind blowing. Will have to try the full matcha soft serve for the full matcha flavor but this was a nice quick dessert in the indoor mall. read more

Matcha Cafe Maiko - matcha vanilla Soft Serve - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California