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    Motto Tea Cafe

    4.2 (1.1k reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:30 PM

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    MOTTO TEA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Motto Tea Cafe

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    Ohana C.

    First time having Soufflé pancakes. Gotta say this place is absolutely delicious. Very clean establishment. Fast service. Everything was delicious. The establishment is cute. Seating is limited. Parking is great. Lots of UNDERGROUND parking. We ordered the Pork Sung and salted Egg yolk soufflé pancake. It was so fluffy, light, creamy, salty but little sweet. It was perfect. It complimented the taste of the cream mixed with pork sung. I highly recommend ordering it! I would definitely recommend if you come to San Gabriel come visit this place.

    Hokkaido Cheese Cake Roll
    Feliza C.

    I'd like to start off by saying whoever was in charge of music on Wednesday 2/18/26 around 7PM, FIRE PLAYLIST!!! 10/10 Anyways, I've had this place in my bookmarks for so long and my friends wanted dessert after eating at boiling point. I knew this spot was just down the street so we walked over. Upon entering we were greeted immediately. The staff is friendly (and has great taste in music lol). The 3 of us ordered a slice each to share - tiramisu basque cheesecake, matcha yuzu crepe cake, and hokkaido. They were all pretty good but my favorite was the tiramisu cheesecake. It was THICCC. Overall I had a good experience and though it wasn't amazingly good, I would definitely come back!

    Jay O.

    Visited Motto Tea Cafe and had such a great experience. They have so many options for teas, plus yummy pastries and snacks that all looked tempting. I decided on the Matcha Jasmine Latte with boba and it was very good ..super smooth, flavorful, and honestly delicious. Their matcha is definitely worth it, and as you know, not all matcha is the same. Overall, really enjoyed my visit. Worth stopping by if you're in the area and craving a good tea!

    Johnny Q.

    Very busy in the evenings but a good amount of comfortable seating with a cute interior. Food took about 15-20 minutes to come out and they were a bit busy. The pancakes were pillowy soft and absolutely delicious. Pretty much the best pancakes i've ever had. The matcha tastes of great quality and it isn't overly sweet or heavy of a dessert. The black toppings on the side are tapioca cubes that gave and interesting texture to it but it could have done with or without it. Wish they gave some more strawberries but still amazing pancakes nonetheless

    Arlene B.

    I've been wanting to try this place for the longest time because I love soufflé pancakes, but unfortunately I was a little disappointed. First off, this place can get busy so plan accordingly. They have a few tables inside as well as outside. Also parking can be a bit challenging. There was a self service kiosk to order from. They have a variety of drinks and dessert options. I got the taro matcha and customized the sweetness and ice levels. The drink itself was a 7/10. We also ordered the salt grey soufflé pancake. Our drinks came out fairly quickly, about 10min. The soufflé on the other hand was a different story. I had to ask someone on 3 different occasions when our order would be ready. And then when it was brought to us, it was served on a paper plate! Honestly for the price, they can at least serve it on a decent plant with regular utensils. The pancake was soft and delicious, 9/10 and I would come back. I just hope by then, they speed up the wait times and presentation.

    Melissa C.

    Motto Tea Cafe was a lovely cafe with ample seating inside and outside the establishment. I only tried their drinks this time but I want to come back to try their souffle pancakes because they look MASSIVE. They also have other cakes and pastries too! You order at the kiosk and you can take a table number if you are dining in, but they just ended up calling our names for the drinks and we picked them up at the counter. Items ordered: - White peach moonlight oolong milk tea with cheese mousse and popping oat: Light and airy feel to the drink as it didn't feel like the drink was overly sweetened, so I really enjoyed it! White peach flavor was very pleasant and the cheese mousse had a stronger cheese and cream flavor to it. My friend recommended the popping oat and it's similar to popping boba with a different texture from the oat. Would get again! - Matcha mochi and white peach moonlight oolong milk tea: Same flavors and the mochi was good, not too chewy. There were so many unique flavors to choose from so I'll definitely have to come back again to try more items on the menu!

    sydnei t.

    This place is amazing. We got cheese soufflé pancakes and peach matcha drink. The pancakes had to wait about 30 mins which is reasonable. The drink came out really quick and so good. The pancakes were so fluffy and yummy. We came around 9 PM on Saturday but there were plenty of seats available inside and out of the shop. Can't wait to go back there to try different items.

    Courtney F.

    I've clearly been sleeping on this place because everything we got was amazing. I had one of their persimmon tea lattes and I swear I've been dreaming about it since. What's really cool about their Japanese pancake offering was a "sampler" so you can try two flavors slightly smaller than normal size. Freaking loved this place and will for sure be back

    Strawberry Shortcake Souffl Pancakes
    Catherine T.

    This is a small cafe with a decent amount of seating. We ordered on the tablet and got seated while waiting for our pancake/drinks. Everything came out within 20 minutes which was expected. Strawberry cheese souffle -- 10/10! This was a new menu item so we got a 20% discount which was a nice surprise. The pancake was super soft without being too soft/gooey in the center. The sauce was a little sweet, but it paired well with the salty cheese foam. We finished eating this in 6 minutes... Matcha strawberry smoothie -- 10/10! This was also a new menu item which got us a 20% discount. This tasted really refreshing considering the hot day. I couldn't taste much of the matcha, but I mainly got it for the strawberry smoothie aspect so I didn't care too much. Would recommend if you love strawberry smoothies!

    The mango Japanese pancake. Sweet and delightful.
    KS A.

    I'm addicted to this place. The original pancake and the cheese pancake are always a win. Their match beverages always on point. If you're in the area, definitely worth going to.

    Fruit medley tea
    Jenn H.

    First time trying Japanese Soufflé Pancakes. I need to preface this with I do NOT like pancakes or sweet breakfast food. I tried the creme brûlée pancakes. They are so light and fluffy. The creme brûlée was very minimal just on top. The cream was very creamy and not too heavy or overly sweet. I personally would have loved some meat with this. I also tried the Fruit Medley tea. Big chunks of fruit. The tea was a little too floral for me. This is not fast food. Each pancake is delicately made. Be patient. Sit to the left and you can see the fluffy creations made. There is no human taking your order. There are two kiosks. Be patient! Don't be that rude old lady behind me sighing ‍ at the three of us placing individual orders. Calm down. Inside the cafe is very small and narrow. It was impossible to get from one end to the other to pick up our drink orders. The tables and chairs are not for comfort or long stays. There are a lot of chairs and tables outside. From what I saw there was a self serve station to clean your own tables.

    Motto Tea Cafe
    Mona F.

    I was excited to come here when I saw it on Tik Tok, but when me and my sister came and made 2 separate orders and we waited for about an hour until we realized they never made our orders. It really sucked and the pancake was really mushy it could've been better especially since it wasn't even busy and they forgot about us and gave us 3 small mushy pancakes. More whipped cream then anything else on the plate. They also really need more seating areas since the place is always busy. Theirs really no where to sit.

    Making Japanese souffle pancakes .
    Nikki B.

    Motto is a popular little café that offers an extensive variety of hot & iced tea and fruit drinks such as Kyoto Uji Matcha & Japanese Genmai. Beverages are prepared with loose tea leaves, pure cane sugar, & organic milk. They don't use artificial ingredients, which is good. The cheese mousse drinks are popular - boba is available too. They also serve sweet & savory Japanese souffle pancakes and have a tempting selection of crepe & roll cakes. I met up with my darling friend here before having dinner nearby. The aesthetic is clean and minimalistic. You place your order at the Kiosk. There are a few tables inside and several outside. This place is popular. I noticed a steady stream of patrons coming in and out during our visit. We sat at a table across from the pancake station, so I got to see the process of how these fluffy creations are made. If we weren't heading to dinner, I would have ordered some because they smelled so good. My friend got a Cheese strawberry tea and said it was quite tasty. *Metered street parking or nearby parking garage on De Lacey. *Pet friendly.

    Taro creme brulee

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    Great, delicious desserts and drinks. Pretty big selection. You can customize your drinks which I like.

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    Motto Tea Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Motto Tea Cafe

    Where can I free private parking from motto cafe?

    There is only paid parking lots and street meters.

    What's the difference between no 5 and no 9 milk tea?

    Are there a handful of outlets here to work on laptop?

    Yes they have a couple available

    Hello is it correct the business is only open one day a week on Tuesdays? The yelp site says so...?

    Noo its open 6 days a week! I have gone on a Sunday to enjoy a boba

    Will the place be open on new years day?

    Is this place take out only?

    No, They have a few tables inside and outside

    What's the new hour for after June 2021?

    Mondays closed! 12-7pm

    Do you offer vegan options?

    Yes

    Do you have a cake menu?

    Hi where, Sorry about the late response. We are still working on the cake menu. You can always email… Read more

    Allergy information. Are there any nuts in the Creme Brûlée and Taro pancakes?

    Hi there, There will be some Japanese granola topping with the creme brûlée pancake which may… Read more

    Are you guys open and what are the hours?

    Mondays are closed! Rest of the week 12-7pm

    What time is the pancakes available now?

    Hi there. Our Soufflé Pancakes now available from MONDAY to SUNDAY(12-5pm).You may have to call if you visit after 5pm. Usually we will still doing the pancakes at night unless it’s too busy that the pancakes already sold out.

    Any vegan options?

    Yes!

    How much do the soufflé pancakes cost?

    Around $1 3

    Is there dairy in the souffle pancakes (milk)? If made from scratch, could we request non dairy substitutes?

    Hi there, unfortunately there is milk in the soufflé pancakes and we don’t have the non-dairy options yet , we will woking out a non- dairy recipe in the future! Thanks !

    Do they make soufflé pancakes on Saturdays?

    Yes

    So many different drinks to choose from, what are the top 3 best sellers and/or customer favorites?

    No. 5 Nutellamisu Mousse Milk Tea is great! The foam tastes amazing and it's one of the best! I have also got their green milk tea (Jasmine) with boba.

    Do you do catering on soufflés pancakes?

    Unfortunately we don’t do catering for Soufflé Pancakes now !

    Do you open on labor day?

    Thanks for checking. We are not open on Labor Day.

    Are there dairy substitutes(almond milk, soy milk, etc.) since they don't use non dairy creamers?

    Hi, for all milk based drinks (e.g matcha latte) we can substitute with almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk). For milk tea, we can substitute with oat milk.

    View All 33 Questions

    Russell's - breakfast set

    Russell's

    (2.1k reviews)

    $$

    Im not a breakfast food person, but I dream of going back…read more The place is small, but gorgeous. French salon meets art museum, along with classical music, good food and attentive service. I absolutely loved this place.

    There is a specific, frantic alchemy to a dining room at capacity, yet Russell's navigates the…read moremorning rush with the practiced grace of a veteran stagehand. Despite the sidewalk swell of hungry patrons, our party was swept into a booth with a speed that felt less like luck and more like a well-oiled logistical triumph. The aesthetic is a love letter to the mid-century diner: a curated "old school" charm that avoids the trap of kitsch, opting instead for a warm, lived-in nostalgia. It is the kind of room that feels as though it has been buffering the neighborhood's hangovers and triumphs for decades. The Service: A Masterclass in Restraint Our server possessed that rare, intuitive sense of timing--the "attentive ghost" who appears exactly as a coffee cup hits empty but vanishes before the conversation loses its momentum. In an era where "helicopter hospitality" can feel suffocating, the staff here maintains a refreshing brevity. We arrived with a picky eater. My toddler, will not eat if it's isn't familiar. So luckily the kitchen didn't falter, pivoting seamlessly to a bowl of jewel-toned strawberries that bought the table ten minutes of blissful silence. Enough time to scarf down my pancake. Delicate bacon and perfectly scrambled eggs. Russell's doesn't need to reinvent the breakfast wheel; it simply polishes it until it shines. It is a reliable anchor in a sea of over-conceptualized brunches. One doesn't merely eat here; one joins a rhythm. I'll be back for an encore.

    Mari Vees - Our 3 signature pancakes.

    Mari Vees

    (325 reviews)

    $$

    The place is nice. I ordered the banana nut pancakes. My daughter had the French toast with…read moreblueberries. Both meals were great. The syrup they serve is amazing. The staff was kind and helpful with food choices. Drinks were good too!

    This is different than my usual reviews, as I'd much rather elevate businesses and support their…read moregrowth rather than point out the negatives. But this one deserves a bit more detail for the 3 stars. We came here at my husband's cravings for eggs Benedict for his birthday brunch. It was a Saturday around 1PM. There were crowds, but it didn't feel overwhelmingly busy. I will say they seemed well staffed, which made service feel prompt and welcomed. Everyone in the team appeared friendly. The person who made our lattes also made an effort to clarify our order (lattes with Oatmilk with cream foam - which u know can be confusing. I'm giving up whole milk for the fats and lactose, but a little bit of cream won't hurt). We chose Mari Vees over other nearby spots mainly because of the style and ambiance, which truly delivered... beautiful, modern, and inviting on Yelp. We ordered the iced Spanish latte, iced matcha latte, classic eggs Benedict, and chilaquiles with beef. As soon as the plates landed on our table, before we even had a chance to taste anything, a well-dressed gentleman (who seemed more senior than the rest of the staff) came over and asked how everything was. We felt compelled to give the automatic "everything is good." To be fair, the flavors did hit the spot. The lattes were yummy (and shoutout to the cute aesthetics), the chilaquiles were perfectly savory, and the sauce on the eggs Benedict was rich and creamy. However, the reason this lands at 3 stars is the eggs Benedict itself. The poached eggs were overcooked. Poached eggs should be runny and creamy, not firm. We brought this up to our server, Jeremiah, but he responded that it was "poached hard." I was confused... was that intentional? I checked the menu again (good thing I take pictures), and it simply says "poached eggs." Later, when we were paying, the same gentleman returned, who I inquired and learned goes by the name, Victor. This time, he didn't ask about our experience, but I knew I had to say something. I shared praise along with a lighthearted and humorous question about the overcooked eggs. He admitted they should be runny and said "we should have told them"... BUT WE DID! I debated addressing it in person versus sharing here on Yelp. Unfortunately, it felt like the team wasn't equipped to properly handle feedback. Instead of acknowledging the issue, we felt dismissed and gaslighted. I still gave a 18% tip (our total was $60+) , slight lower than our usual 20%... but I know everyone works hard in there. Overall, it had the potential to be a great experience, but the mishap left a sour note and pretty much ruined our afternoon. Not sure we'll be back.

    Popping Yolk Cafe - Bacon and Egg sandwich with sweet potato fries

    Popping Yolk Cafe

    (691 reviews)

    $$

    Came back again and ordered some of my favorites plus a few new things. I always go for the…read moreNorwegian Benedict and it did not disappoint. The smoked salmon was perfect, the egg was super runny just how I like it, and the potatoes were the perfect portion--crispy and flavorful. The salad on the side was also really refreshing and balanced everything out well. We also tried the smoked salmon omelette, and I would say this one was a bit underwhelming. It wasn't bad, but I expected more flavor. It ended up being my least favorite dish out of everything we ordered. For dessert, we got the toffee banana crepe with ube ice cream and wow... this was definitely the highlight. So good and we finished the whole thing. I would honestly come back just for this. The outdoor seating was really nice today not too hot, not too cold and there's plenty of space inside as well. You order at the front, and the cashiers were super friendly and checked in on us during our meal. Overall, a really nice spot. I'll definitely be back!

    Food: 5/5 Order the Nashville spicy chicken sandwich with side salad and potatoes. Three chicken…read morewas cooked so good. Not over or undercooked, just perfect. Right amount of spicy and seasoning. The buns were stellar. Also had the crunchy french toast UBE. Not overly sweet which was great. The crunch was nice too! Service: 4/5 Quick service, nice staff. Ambiance: 5/5 Nice location, plenty of parking in structure. Outdoor and indoor seating available.

    Gram Cafe & Pancakes - Cheesy Gyudon

    Gram Cafe & Pancakes

    (944 reviews)

    $$

    Gram Café & Pancakes is Japanese food, and it is great. I have never had these type of Japanese…read morepancakes before. They are really like a souffle. They are much taller and thicker than an American pancakes. They are wonderful. They also have a lunch menu and have great bowls. Their service is just the best. They are nice and will explain to you all you need to know about the menu. It is somewhat large so let them help you. I know they want you to be happy. The prices are fair and there is plenty of parking. The area is also very nice to walk, there are other places near and you will like it. It is great neighborhood. We love their Premium Takes 30 mins (Weekend might take up to 60 mins) Now it takes Takes 30 mins (Weekend might take up to 60 mins) so be ready for that. It is strawberry mascarpone crème anglaise garnished with fresh strawberries topped with signature 2-stacks of Premium strawberry pancake. We also love their Geso Fry Fried squid legs served with spicy mayo. It is so tasty. They also have bowls. You will love their coffee. Have fun.

    I've never had Japanese souffle pancakes before so when I saw this place nearby, I figured that I…read morewould try it out. We came in around 9:30am and were seated right away. Not even 30 minutes later the whole place was packed. I ordered the Benedict Pancakes ($22) and the seasonal Biscuit souffle pancakes ($18). I also tried the Tonkatsu Curry ($16). For a drink I got the pot of Peach Momo Tea ($6). My benedict pancakes came out first. The souffle pancakes and the tonkatsu curry came out at the same time 30 minutes later. The benedicts weren't bad, but I probably wouldn't get them again. The yolk was solid and not runny and the pancakes were just normal flat pancakes, and they were kind of dry. The tonkotsu and the Japanese pancakes were way better. Both were very flavorful and nice and hot. For the tea pots you also get refills, so we got a lot to drink with that. For a two-person table, it was definitely too small to hold everything that we ordered. Luckily by the time the curry and the pancakes came out I was already finished with my benedict pancakes and was able to give it to them to clear out to make room for the other dishes. Service was good, the wait for the food was long but they were still attentive enough to get us what we needed. Once you get your food they try to get you out as quickly as possible since the longer it went the longer the wait outside was for a table. Overall it was a nice breakfast/brunch experience. It is a bit pricey, but some dishes are better than others. I would come back either for the Japanese pancakes or the curry. The tea was great too. I would probably skip the eggs benedict next time though.

    Motto Tea Cafe - desserts - Updated May 2026

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