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Matcha Cafe Maiko

4.5 (1.7k reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Matcha Cafe Maiko Photos

Business Info

MATCHA CAFE MAIKO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Matcha Cafe Maiko

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Matcha float
Hadleigh P.

My favorite matcha in Japantown. I know it's a chain but their matcha float with the soft serve is my go to. It always hits the spot for me and has made me fall in love with matcha

SOFT SERVE - MATCHA - $6.40
Tu-Anh N.

WHEN: Wed @2pm SOFT SERVE - MATCHA - $6.40 They have seasonal flavors but since this is my first time, I had to go with the matcha, and it was so good! This also comes with a homemade Waffle Cone that was quite tasty. Everything about this bad boy was delicious! It's also a nice touch they sprinkle some matcha powder on top! They don't have seatings inside the shop, but you have plenty of seating options throughout the mall.

Matcha Cheese Foam and Banana Hojicha Latte
Sophia H.

Came here yesterday (Friday) a little before 2pm. There was no line. We ordered on the tablet located near the entrance. I ordered a Matcha Cheese Foam. I upsized to a large, got half sugar, and subbed oat milk. The drink was really good. The matcha was strong, which I liked, and the cheese foam added a nice creaminess. Overall, solid matcha.

Exterior
Sally Y.

At the lower level in Japantown adjacent to a beauty salon is Matcha Cafe Maiko. It's really a pick-up-and-go place. I ordered a matcha and milk swirl soft serve in a cup. Their matcha flavor is very strong but their milk flavor isn't as good as what's available upstairs. Still, they have other offerings and I look forward to trying other things!

Soft Serve
Akiko N.

Overall tastes good but I dislike the cornflakes in the soft serve as it doesn't add much texture or depth to the dessert. I would ask for removing the cornflakes next time. Wish they added more cake to it but I like the addition of adzuki beans (red beans) to the treat.

Matcha Soft Serve
Madison B.

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.

Matcha sundae with strawberry syrup - $6.54
Vinkin Ken T.

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.

Hojicha biscoff soft serve
Trisha T.

Went here for some dessert. It was my first time but the service was excellent and the line moved fast. A bit small inside but there are places to sit after ordering. Everything looked great but i didn't want anything too over the top. My boyfriend and i tried the matcha swirl and hojicha swirl. Both were so good, the cones they have are perfect and crisp. Will definitely be coming back next time we're in Japantown :)

Chau P.

I can definitely see why the line was so long for this place. I've been to the matcha cafe maiko in Sacramento several times, but this place is definitely better. The matcha is a lot more rich and creamy. Although it's the line was long, it went by very fast. You can order at the register or the kiosk. My boyfriend and I got the banana cream matcha and double matcha, and enjoyed both. I personally like the banana one more as it was a little more fresh and less sweet.

Hojicha frappe with boba
colette b.

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.

Maisie W.

Fast, and great service! Matcha ice cream was pretty darn good. Can sit in the main court for seatings.

Megan D.

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.

Soft Serve
Surbhi S.

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.

Hojicha Float &  Matcha Frappe

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Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the matcha soft serve, variety of drinks, and friendly, efficient staff.

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Matcha Cafe Maiko Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Matcha Cafe Maiko

Does Matcha Cafe Maiko accept reusable cups that customers bring in? Trying to avoid plastic as much as I can.

Do they have anything dairy-free besides the tea?? 😅

They have plant based milk for drinks

Does your softserve contain eggs?

Yes. I thought it didn't, but I am allergic and I had a severe reaction to it. Be careful if you are allergic to eggs. I'm okay now though :)

When is jasmine tea flavor coming back?

Hi Andrea, Jasmine will most likely make its return in July (next month will be Hojicha). Unfortunately we only have 2 machines in each location and we can only rotate flavors… 

Is the Maiko Special (mixed) Parfait at the Premium Matcha Cafe gluten free? One worker said it is, one said it has cake in it and that it is not.

Hi Anthony I apologize for the miscommunication but the Maiko Special does have our chiffon cake in it which is made with flour hence is not gluten free. Hopefully that helps… 

Do you have nondairy ice cream?

Sorry not at the moment but we are working on it :) We do have non-dairy options for all our drinks though!

I usually get a float here and one of the things I love about it is the crunchy, roundish ice cubes. However I was there last week and there were regular ice cubes like I would get from my own fridge. Is this a permanent change?

Hi Leng S, Im sorry but we had to change our ice machine recently as the previous roundish ice cube maker was very unreliable and required constant repairs. After much… 

How many oz does the cup that your Maiko Special parfait is in hold? I know your large cup is 16 oz, but I was kind of hoping it possibly came in the medium size?

Hi there Im sorry but our Maiko Special only comes in one size which is already a 12oz serving cup. Hope you have a great weekend!!

Is gold on the menu or do I have to ask for it?

You have to ask for it, although, it might have been a special for a limited time only.

Is the consistency of the soft serve here creamy and dense, like Matcha Love, or ice crystal-ly and frozen yogurt-like, like Uji and Pinkberry? Also, what is the yellow skin on the ice cream made of? (Yelp won't let you ask a second question.)

It's pretty smoothy and creamy yet light at the same time... yum!

How much for the gold one?

$9.50

Will you be offering Hokkaido milk ice cream?

Hi David So sorry we just saw this question that was posted a while back. We plan on serving different seasonal flavors in the near future including Hokkaido Milk. Thank you… 

Hi when will you have dairy free options?

We currently offer almond and soy milk options on all our lattes. Hope to see you soon :)

Will you guys be serving hojicha soft serve as well?

Hi Jenny We are currently serving 2 flavors: Matcha and Vanilla. However, we are planning on… 

What's the daily open hour?

Hi Deery, We are still in our soft opening phase (3pm-8pm for these next few days) and back to normal hours during and after our grand opening:… 

Will there be dairy free/gluten free options?

Hi Samira, We will have dairy free options for our Matcha Latte and our Hojicha Latte. All our drinks/floats are gluten free.… 

Is it open yet?

Sorry our grand opening is scheduled for early-mid March. Please follow us on Instagram @matchacafemaiko for the latest updates on our opening date. Thank you!!

When will this be open? -12/3/17

Sorry our grand opening is scheduled for early-mid March. Please follow us on Instagram @matchacafemaiko for the latest updates on our opening date. Thank you!!

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