Their matcha creme brulee souffle is delicious and the presentation makes it more appetizing. I also ordered Taro Storm boba milk tea and it was just okay. read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Matcha Crème Brûlée Souffle Pancake - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Perfectly balanced flavor!!! I hope this is one of the few places in the area that continues to creatively expand their offerings without sacrificing taste! read more

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We came on a whim to get our friend a graduation cake. It was absolutely delicious when we tried it. The staff that work there are incredibly attentive and knowledgeable on giving you recommendations based off of their menu. read more

My go to spot for soufflé pancakes! A long wired review. I have come here several times and really enjoyed their soufflé pancakes. I really like their matcha one. Self service kiosk is great. Easy to use, quick service as well. However, if you so choose to dine in, there aren't a lot of tables. The bonus is that there is a lot of tables outside! I love that the location in Old Town Pasadena. Perfect to walk around the neighborhood if you want to walk after having dessert. read more

The food here - especially the pancakes - is very good. Probably the best soufflé pancakes in the LA area. But the service is choppy and slow. It's already impersonal with the automized check in and ordering process but it's also difficult to get orders in a timely manner or in one piece. You can see multiple tables being served items from their order at separate times - sometimes by a lot of time. In the several visits to Motto you can notice these issues becoming more and more prevalent. Hopefully, this will improve. read more

I can't believe I haven't reviewed Motto Tea Cafe! It's one of our favorite places to get tea with or without boba. The shop is cozy, but they have a restroom which is nice if you decide to have your drinks or other sweet treats there. We like sitting outside because the area is shaded and the tables are a good distance apart. Only downside at times are the smokers who walk by headed to the cigar shop near by. Service is always fast and friendly. If you are ordering a pancake then chill out- it's made to order and they are popular so you are going to have to wait. Yesterday we ordered a Matcha with Cheese Foam, Strawberry Cheese and Grapefruit Tea. After school we will drive back from Burbank and pick up our order on the way home. Love this place! read more

I stopped by Motto Tea Cafe on a Saturday evening since I was in the area and they were busy. There are 2 self order kiosks. Initially came to try their mango in Kyoto since I loved the mango in Uji in the San Gabriel location but they were sold out. Ordered the Uji matcha latte instead. I made my order at 6:13pm and was given an ETA that my drink would be ready at 6:31pm. My drink came out 10 min earlier which was great. Uji Matcha Latte: 3/5. It was $1 to substitute with oat milk. The oat milk overpowered the matcha and I felt the matcha wasn't strong enough. It's also another $1 to add extra matcha to make the drink stronger. It was an alright drink but I wasn't impressed since I have tried other places with a better tasting matcha latte at a better price. There are indoor and outdoor seating options. Parking is street or I suggest parking at the Schoolhouse Garage. It's $1 for the first hour and it's a 4 min walk. read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Uji Matcha Latte - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

Ordering is less than ideal. Many take so much time ordering that lines become longer than necessary. Maybe this is by design so that the kitchen doesn't get inundated with orders. The food and drinks are good. read more

I've tried other boba shops, but when it comes to the Pasadena area, Motto is up there as one of my favorites. The options are varied, the service is so streamlined that the orders get fulfilled super quickly, and the shop has touchscreen ordering kiosks, which makes the whole ordering process very fast and efficient. Special shoutout to both Cat & Beca, who helped my friend and I with our orders and were, at all times, both helpful and professional. They even fulfilled my silly extra order of cheese foam (yes, I literally bought a tiny, side container of cheese foam because of how much I had enjoyed it after I had finished my regular boba milk tea drink with cheese foam in it). Make sure to get your drink with cheese foam, one of the MUST HAVE toppings of this place. read more

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This is strictly about their pastries, I am not a sweets guy, but these are some of the most unique cakes, crepes, and baked good i have had in a long time, We got the cheese cakes, it was wrapped with a sponge cake, filling so light and airy.. so unique. The pistachio crepe cake, which was so delicate and light, and balanced. The souffle cakes were so airy, and bouncy with great texture, the most pillowy pancakes-ish type thing you will find. Teas and drinks are very unique and refreshing. Definitely coming back. Dragon egg approved. read more

I'm once again disappointed with your staffs! I ordered my drink not too long ago and it's missing an ingredient again! I paid extra for brown sugar boba but they didn't put it with my drink! My order number was KK311! My god, this is ridiculous! This is not a joke on my part! I have to drive all the way just to buy your drink but there's always a problem all the time! Brown sugar boba is cheap but that's not the point! You need to do something about how you could satisfy your customers! read more

I recently visited the motto tea café in old town Pasadena. I've been here previously years ago when it was a different store. They have two kiosks as you walk in. They have a large drink selection and what they're also known for are the jiggly soufflé pancakes. What can be a bottleneck is if someone doesn't really know what they want and there's a lot of things to customize and choose. We came here during the dinela promotion so there was a group in front of us that took a while to decide what they wanted. The drinks were done fairly quickly. And you pick those up on the right side of the counter. Everything else is pretty much self-service where you get your utensils . If you're dining in you grab number and you also and put that in as you are ordering. And then when everything is done, they will bring your food to your table. We seated right by their alarm system, which beeps every couple of minutes, which is kind of interesting. Luckily, they have a sign that says please press otherwise it would be very annoying if people didn't know how to override it, although it is kind of weird that it happens at all. If you're looking forward to desserts and drinks in the old town area, please stop by motto tea Café read more

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The price was very high ($21 after tax), but the Japanese cloud pancake tasted very good.

#9 Black Milk Tea - Love it. I got the least level of sweetness. Tea flavor comes through nicely and boba is perfectly chewy and semi sweet. read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Number Motto No.9 Black Tea - great tea flavor and chew boba - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

Absolutely the BEST soufflé pancakes in LA county! I've been to Japan and can say 100% that these taste just like the ones I've had in Tokyo. This is my only spot when I'm craving a soufflé pancake that I come and will make the hour drive to Pasadena it's that good! Wait times can be over an hour on weekends and summer time so I'd recommend going during a weekday or right when they open but honestly worth the wait! read more

Loved the variety of cakes, and pancakes. They exceeded all of my expectations- great, fluffy, light and not too sweet!! Pure joy. There is alway a line in this place, but goes by fast read more

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We came here super excited to try the Souffle pancakes and we're not disappointed. The pancakes are so jiggly and so light. The crème brûlée on top is to die for!!! The cream itself is perfectly sweet but not too sweet. The only adjustment I would've liked was maybe just strawberries and bananas on the side. The other fruits aren't as cohesive with the pancakes. We also got the milk tea with boba, it was yummy the boba actually tasted great. It's self order so you just order at the station on the computer and take a number and then the staff will bring you your food/drinks. We only waited maybe 15-20 minutes for the pancakes although the wait time said 25-35 minutes. The seating area is mainly outside and the weather was lovely so we were able to enjoy our time sitting outside. Overall would go back for the pancakes! read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Milk Tea with boba and Souffle Pancakes - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Pancakes were very fluffy and the butter really brightened up pancakes! The worker I interacted with was really insistent on why I didn't have a table number if I dined in... she asked me if I ordered in the kiosk. I said no...but I did order through the app Snackpass. She made it seem like I was stupid for not having one. I get it. It's stressful working with customers who don't pay attention... I get Having a table number... when in fact there is no mention about having a table number on the app you cannot be frustrated with the customer who has never been there before! I quickly got a table number and told her. I feel like this interaction would have been smoother on both sides if they mentioned this on the app! Loved the outside! Really shady and perfect for a hot day. Drink was really nice and refreshing for how hot it was! read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Creme Brulee Souffle Pancakes - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

This place specializes in incredible Asian-style fluffy pancakes, so fluffy that they wobble when you shake them. They are light, and airy. They also offer an extensive selection of boba teas. I love to add the Nutella mousse on top of mine, super thick and delicious. It's so hard to pick a tea, they have a lot of choices and all can be personalised. You can order online or from the digital screens inside, making the process super easy. There are seating options available both inside and outside. The location is in a charming area of Pasadena, surrounded by a variety of shops and restaurants, creating a lovely vibe. While parking can be a bit limited on the streets nearby, there's a convenient parking structure just a short walk away--only a dollar for the first hour and 2 for the following ones. read more

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I always get the milk tea with cheese mousse and taro please try this you won't regret it, been coming here for five years I love this drink I also recommend the mango in Kyoto read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Motto No.9 [Milk] Tea with cheese mousse and taro pure - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

Fun little spot. Poppin' on a Saturday evening. My sister and I stopped by for a post-dinner dessert situation. She got the rose tea and I got an iced matcha with some sort of sweet and salty foam. We could choose how much sweetness we want for each dessert, which was nice. We weren't looking to get sugar coma! After much deliberation, we decided to go with the strawberry cheesecake fluffy thing. We loved every sip and every bite. We placed the order using a kiosk, assigned a number, then called once our order was ready. Very seamless and easy process. If you're looking for a light and fluffy diversion, this place fits the bill. read more

This seems to be a popular spot, on the corner with a veranda and patio seating space. Upon entry, you can order on a kiosk or speak to someone and order from a million options. If dining in, you grab a table number and seat yourself. They bring you the order once it's ready. We came to try out the famous jiggly Japanese pancakes. The presentation was sad; they were served on paper plates and with plastic utensils. Come on, for this price point, at least present them on nice reusable or biodegradable plates and utensils. The presentation of it being tossed onto a paper plate with fruit sprinkled on took away from the quality and experience. There is nice seating space and many menu options, but for the price point they offer, they can do better. read more

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ORIGINAL MINI SOUFFLE and CREME BRULEE MINI SOUFFLE combo: -- side of maple syrup for original -- butter provided not soft enough for soft souffle -- even the creme brulee one was not too sweet which was nice -- injector of maple syrup for creme brulee one so you can gradually inject it in spots for better distribution.... genius RATING = A Eating these brought me back to a gem of a place in Taiwan that did a VANILLA rendition to perfection that I think had a vanilla bean cream. MILK TEA ICED: -- fairly creamy -- good not great RATING = A- One con is their lousy AC. It definitely needs a servicing, or they need to kick up the temp. Dining while sweating is never fun. Another con is there were clearly old looking splatter stains on the wall. A bit surprising given this restaurant. I would have expected better cleanliness. The bathroom included. read more

One of my favorite boba places! My favorites have been the matcha mochi white peach moonlight oolong, Uji matcha mango tea, lemon explosion, and osmanthus tea. They also have beautiful soufflé pancakes and cake slices, which I've yet to try. The kiosk is really convenient, and service is quick too. The inside is pleasant but pretty small and sometimes crowded. read more

My husband brought me here because I was craving a milk tea drink. We ordered from a kiosk, and they had many options. A lot of their drinks and desserts looked delicious. I picked the Farmers Milk Tea w/ Matcha Foam & Oreo crumbs and added mini taro balls. I wasn't disappointed. You won't find many boba places with mini taro balls. I like it better than boba and jellies. I wanted to try one of their crepe cakes but decided not to order one since we were walking. The second time I ordered from them was online. My husband went to pick it up for me since it was within walking distance. I got a pistachio crepe cake with the same drink order. OMG, the crepe cake was so good! Since then, I've wanted to try other drinks and desserts. Service was excellent and speedy both times. Highly recommend. read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Pistachio Crepe Cake and Farmers Milk Tea w/ Match Foam & Oreo crumbs and added mini taro balls - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

I was super excited to try this cafe because of it's unique cakes and flavors. I got the matcha souffle pancakes, the taro milk tea with mochi (less sweet), and the fruit melody tea (regular sweet). Even though I ordered the pancakes to-go, I ate them right away at the outside tables. The interior is pretty small and gets crowded fast. The pancakes were ridiculously soft and light with a strong egg flavor. The matcha cream on top was very watery. It felt more like a thin sauce than a cream. It wasn't sweet at all and the matcha flavor was barely noticable. I think the cream was too diluted. The red beans weren't sweet either. The only noticeable source of sugar was from the strawberries. There was a tiny bit of burnt sugar for the "creme brulee" vibes. The taro mochi drink wasn't very good. I typically get half sweet milk tea drinks at boba shops, but this drink barely had any sugar at all. I think I would've liked it better at the regular sugar level. I shared some with my friend and he said it was "powdery." I went back to make a second order for the fruit melody tea and I ordered it with regular sugar, hoping it would be a more satisfying drink. I loved the fruit tea flavor, but this one was too sweet. I'd still like to come back to try their other non-souffle cakes. The next time I come, I'll order a milk tea with regular sugar or a fruit tea with less sugar. read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Matcha souffle pancakes with strawberries and red beans - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

I'm not the biggest expert on boba but i do love taro milk tea. Motto Tea Cafe has some tasty taro milk tea and i would definitely come back for more. I also got the soufflé pancakes which were fun and jiggled but id go to Motto mostly for their excellent teas. read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Soufflé pancake - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

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It was good. A little high priced for my liking. I am new to the boba game, so I'm trying the spots... this one felt a bit bougie price and style wise. And you order through a screen. I tried asking the lady a question and she just directed me to the screen, annoying. read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Tiger Boba Latte - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

I've been here so many times, but somehow never got to rate this place. This place deserves my five stars since I first discovered it during the pandemic. All drinks and deserts are delicious and I've recommended to my friends and family so many times. My favorite drinks include GinMai Japanese tea, milk tea, fruit tea, and I learned that their water chest nut popping pearl is pretty yummy, it's like popping boba but it has jelly and a small piece of water chest nut inside each pearl. Pretty interesting! I also enjoy their desert, crepes and soufflé bun so fluffy. I think I had added those photos before I even wrote this review. This place will continue to be my go-to boba desert when I'm in Pasadena. read more

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We ordered Taro milk teas with boba. It was delicious to have fresh Taro and it paired well with the souffle pancakes we ordered, which were creme brulee and Taro. The pancakes are so light and fluffy and you don't get that full feeling like you do with regular pancakes. It was the right amount of sweetness and the crunch from the granola was a great touch. As for service, you order from a kiosk and a staff member brings out your drink and food. We sat outside and it's perfectly shaded even on a hot day. It did open at noon on Sunday and we came shortly after it opened. We were done after an hour, but we also had time to catch up and talk. Parking can be tricky but was easily found around the corner. read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Taro - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Went here to specifically check out the soufflé pancakes, of course! We ordered an original and cheese. The latter was like a sweet and fluffy light cream cheese. We both really enjoyed them - soft and jiggly and also delicious. Fun food! We also got a hot milk tea and an iced camellia oolong. Love being able to choose the sweetness level and customize the drinks in several ways. I do wish that they had more eco-friendly utensils and it was all a bit less "to-go" feeling - paper plates, plastic drink containers. The service was simply just a drop-off at our outdoor table, but no complaints about that. Overall, it was totally fun and yummy and I'd go again. read more

For whatever reason I feel t he e quality at this location is far superior to the one in SGV. I ordered the Green Muscat jasmine soufflé pancakes and the flavor was to die for. Unlike a lot of other soufflé pancake places, these had the perfect balance of sweetness and weren't too eggy. I also love the outdoor patio here, perfect for summer nights. I'll definitely be coming back read more

Motto Tea Cafe is a cafe in Pasadena known for their soufflé pancakes and boba drinks. The shop has a cute interior, and there's limited seating inside and outside plus a restroom. The shop is located in Old Town Pasadena. Parking is located around the shopping areas and it's a great place to walk around. You order on screens and there was a short line when we were there. Make sure to order the pancakes early because they take 30 minutes to make. Food and Drinks We ordered a few drinks, the strawberry matcha cake slice, and the crème brûlée soufflé pancakes. The drinks were around $5-$7, the cake about $8-$10, and the pancakes range from $14-$15. The drinks were great with the cream top and had a great tea flavor. The boba was soft and chewy. The cake was average, not a necessity to try. The pancakes were great; worth the wait and pretty big for sharing. The burnt top was delicious and the toppings were great to add. Overall | 4.5 The ambiance + service: 4.5/5 The food + drinks: 4.5/5 The price: $$ read more

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It's no wonder that a beautifully plated and great smelling shop drew my attention. With lots of tasty treats for purchase, I had the privilege and honor of tasting what could only be described as the fluffy clouds culinary angels sit upon while searching for their next masterpiece. I can personally appreciate the automted ordered too, since I spent the greater part of 10 minutes drooling over everything they have to offer. read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Creme Brulee Fluffy Pancakes - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

Matcha quality is top, one of the best. They're usually busy, but that's understandable considering how great they are, plus they're not overpriced. My favorite spot thus far. read more

Came here again and it's still just as good as I remembered. The pancakes were okay but their drinks have improved. The matcha mochi white peach oolong was delicious and very unique. Definitely recommend especially since it's their newest flavor. Lots of outdoor and indoor seating and the staff was very fast. They have self serve order kiosks or you can order online. read more

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Came here purely to grab some dessert. We ordered 2 soufflé (oreo and boba). It took them about 15-20 minutes to make which makes sense. When we got the soufflés they were fluffy and jiggly. Flavor wise, they were good, quite pricey ($20) but good. Definitely want to try out some of the other flavors next time. The boba that it came with was very fresh, was a bit warm and had a lot of flavor. They give you a huge container of them so it is quite plentiful. Overall it's a pretty good spot to get dessert, will need to try out the drinks next time. read more

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I'm a sucker for boba even if it's out of my way. Couldn't help myself but stop. I've gone on two separate occasion and I was not disappointed. The boba was perfect, sweet, and chewy both times! First I tried the TIGER BOBA MIaka brown sugar type of milk tea. It's was flavorful and sweet. I wish it was more tea than milk, but never the less, still good. Reminded me of cereal milk haha never the less love the color layering! The extra attention to detail is fun! The last time I went was for the TARO STORM MILK TEA! They advertise fresh taro only.... and you can tell the difference. I love this one more than the first one I tried. I still wish there was more tea flavor though. When I go back, it will be for this for sure! This place is more on the expensive side; but you can definitely see why in the quality. Looove it! read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Taro Kinako Cake Box - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Motto Tea Cafe has two locations (one in San Gabriel and one in Pasadena) ... so we decided to try out the Pasadena location. For two people, we shared the crème brûlée souflee pancakes. When I tell you that it's so lightweight and fluffy! This got my sweet tooth fix in. I also ordered their drinks... but their drinks were nothing too special. If you do decide to come to Motto, you have to try their souflee pancakes. They had self serve kiosks which was pretty cool, but it still took a while for the items to come out. Overall, I give this experience a 7.5/10! (: read more

Motto Tea Cafe - Creme Brulee Souffle Pancakes - Desserts Near Me - Pasadena, California

Finally got to try the Fluffy Soufflé pancakes. Honestly 100% recommend to try this but you must eat at the location. The effect goes away when it gets cold. You can taste the egg in it so you need to make sure you can handle that flavor since it's made with eggs. They have several other things to order as well. Cappuccino was nice and they offer specialty Lattes. I do want to mention how polite and honest the staff was. I forgot my cake and they ran after me almost a block to bring it to me. Appreciate honesty and they deserve 5 read more

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