WALKING BY....."LOOK AT THOSE RIDICULOUS PEOPLE IN LINE FOR SOME RIDICULOUS CHEESECAKE!!! BAHAHAHA" 1 WEEK LATER.... walking by again.. "DAMMIT! I wanna try it....at least once before I DIE!" So yesh..I find myself standing in line just like the rest of the world for some fresh made japanese cheesecake... oh the irony of it all!!! waited around 30 minutes tops. bought the $8 whole pie, opened it then and there like a starved child and forked into the cheesecake. OH MY GERRRD! it was fluffy!!! totally different taste than your regular cheesecake. Wasn't expecting something like how fluffy and soft it was. It was pretty gewwd. Would i wait again???...yeshhhh but only if the line was shorter. $8 bucks for 1 box of heavenly cheesecake.. was worth every penny because why the hell not 8) read more

This cheesecake is not like any one you've ever had. It's right out of the oven, and more like a fluffy, moist bread with just a touch of sweetness. It's like eating a cloud. read more

Light, and fluffy. Very unique experience! It reminded me of a sponge cake that you get at those Asian bakeries but a little bit more eggy. I have seen videos about this jiggly cheesecake everywhere so I was very excited to be able to try it. We didn't have to wait in a line which was a plus and I don't think 9 dollars is terribly expensive for a medium sized cheesecake. We were able to share one large one between the 5 of us. It's not too sweet which I appreciated because I am not a fan of overly sweet American desserts. I actually don't like regular cheesecake bc I find them too sweet and just strongly.... cheesey. So these cheesecakes were made for me. come to Texas Uncle Tetsu! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Where there is a long line and people buy in bulk, follow! That's exactly what I ended up doing here. I only got my hands on the Original flavor the first time around and it was delicious. It's got a bouncy texture not your average Japanese cheesecakes. My friend was able to get a hold of the Chocolate & Coffee flavors (they normally are sold out) for me and I believe that the best flavor has got to be the Coffee hands down. It's the perfect flavoring, texture, and moistness. The Chocolate was way too subtle to my liking, super light on the chocolate. But all in all, their texture is consistent and the price is not bad at all. For no more than $10, I think this is totally worth it! NTS: Come on a weekday, the lines are shorter and more stocked than on the weekends. read more

I've been hearing about Uncle Tetsu through my social media from my Toronto friends for several years now since their location has been open for awhile. I would read Facebook posts about how my friends braved the negative celsius degree weather to stand in line for hours just for this fluffy life-changing Japanese cheesecake that was so soft, even people without teeth could presumably eat. Well, since I don't make my way to Toronto very often, I finally got to try Uncle Tetsu at this location and all I have to say is... TOTALLY OVERRATED. Yes, it is fresh. Yes, it is light and fluffy. Yes, it is soft and cloud-like. But I don't think it's cheese-y enough. I know what Japanese cheesecake is supposed to taste like and Uncle Tetsu is lacking the cheese flavor majorly. I understand it's a non-rich, very light flavor but this is almost too light. Thankfully, I didn't waste any precious time. I came on a weekday morning when there was no line and I was done in like 5 minutes. This cake is not worth more than a 30 minute wait AT MOST. Good thing it's cheap ($9) so you don't feel like you completely wasted money. Overall, it's worth trying once. I prefer the Japanese cheesecakes from the Japanese grocery stores IMHO. They're more dense AND more flavorful. Just my personal opinion. read more

Keep an open mind this isn't your typical traditional cheesecake with graham cracker crust. This has a light and fluffy sponge cake texture and the cheese isn't prominent. If you love your traditional cheesecake then your belly make not be as content however if you can opt out for an actual cheese-"cake" you might just be pleasantly surprised. Yas!!! read more

It's all about the service - which is lacking. On a Saturday morning at 11:15am, the day before Mother's Day, the line is about 8 people deep. The one person handing the cash register is allowing people ahead to buy 10 or more cheesecakes (yes that is right 10 or more and from the same family or group). I waited for almost 20 minutes to buy 2 and then when I was at the cash register I asked him why people are allowed to buy so many cheesecakes when there are so many people in line. He said the rules changed. I asked him if he even saw how long the line was and it wasn't moving. He acted like he didn't care. No manager in sight either. Even if people are allowed to buy more, I would think common sense and service would count more than rules. Many people were very agitated in line. read more

Their cheese tarts are the best! I get them every time I visit the mall! I crave them when I'm at home, which is out of town now. I used to work in the mall and I would bring them home for my family and they're always so so good. Please go to uncle testu! You will not regret it! read more

Delicious cheesecake! Not too sweet just right. Very fluffy as well. No wait in line! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Can't say just yet. This place is just right next to Din tai fung, so it wasn't hard to find. I just had to stop by esp. I've been seeing so much of this on my IG's. I know i just had to try it. Bought 2 cheese tarts, 1 green tea tarts and 1 cheesecake. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Cheesetart and the fluffiest cheesecake - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

I didn't go for the grand opening, who wants to wait two hours for one cake? I went after some of the hype died down, as they were just opening up shop for a short wait. It's kinda of a misnomer for someone not used to Asian baked goods, there really isn't a cheese flavor to it more like a light, plain sponge cake. It's around $10 and the size isn't that big like a small dinner plate. It's not bad, but expensive in my book for what it is. If you like these kind of cakes I recommend you going to an old school Chinese bakery and getting one of those paper warped eggy sponge cakes. They are just as light and airy for cheap! I do like how you can see in their kitchen and churn out cakes like busy bees, the way the put their logo on is hilarious they have a special electric stamping tool that brands their fresh out the oven cakes like a branding iron does for cattle. read more

Perfect texture, moisture, and flavored Japanese cheesecake at reasonable price. Will be back for more!

After having some delicious dumpling decided to drop by and have some dessert, had the cheesecake and the cheese tarts both very good, the cheese tart was warm and with lots of flavors, you can taste the sweetness of the pastry and the cheese filling is delicious. The cheesecake was good, very fluffy and it kind of taste le like coconut. I enjoy it my only concern was the lady at the front, she wasn't the friendliest person, but overall good food. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Cheese tart - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

I am so glad the lines have died down. When Uncle Tetsu first opened, the lines were so ridiculously long, it didn't seem worth the wait. Now that there usually isn't a line on weekdays, I can justify picking up a cheesecake or two if I am in the area. I don't particularly crave this, but it is good once in a while. I like that the cheesecake is spongy and not overly sweet. Last time I was there, I saw that they now sell them in smaller cupcake sizes, which looked really cute but was more expensive. If you never tried Uncle Tetsu's, I would recommend you try it at least once. read more

So overhyped but not that great. They served the cake to me warm and not very flavorful. I was very let down, but some of my friends love this place, so many it didn't suit my taste buds. It wasn't the WORST thing I've ever had, the texture is nice, and the cake itself is cute, but overall, meh. I do recommend the coffee flavor over the original. Be prepare for long lines! read more

Got the ube one. Not the typical cheesecake - not too sweet and it is super pillowy and smooth. Honestly cannot get enough of it!

I enjoyed the original but I loved the strawberry flavor! The taste is great very airy and light to the point it's addicting. The service was quick even though there was a long line. I was able to sample the strawberry flavor and I immediately asked for that flavor along with the original. read more

4/100 - Yelp 100 Challenge 2018 BEST cheesecake ever! It took me a while to find this place because I kept thinking that it's located in the food court. It's not!! It's right across from Din Tai Fung. I came on a Tuesday night about 20 minutes before they close so there was no lines. Came right up to the register and got myself three, yes, three cheesecakes! Even though they weren't fresh out of the oven when I got them (seeing that they close in 20 minutes) the cakes were delicious nonetheless! Still jiggly and fluffy as I sliced my piece :) read more

i love UNCLE TETSU. the cheese cake is so fluffy and cute. The line this time was not that bad. My aunt and I went on a Saturday around 7 pm. there was a slight line but was not as bad as my first time going a year ago. They had a chocolate and a coffee flavor cheese cake. i wanted to try the egg tart, but i hear its delicious. read more

Last year in Tokyo we tried the Japanese Cheesecake and we've been looking for a place in Orange County to get one ever since. Look no further! Uncle Tetsu perfectly recreated what we had in Tokyo. So fluffy and light and not too sweet. Their cheese tarts are also delicious! They have a variety of drinks too. Try the red bean with boba - so good. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Red bean smoothie - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

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This place is located inside the Santa Anita mall I believe. It's inside the new "hip" food court with a lot of Asian inspired places. I believe it's on the highest floor of the mall. There wasn't a line when I went at 4:30. Maybe it's busier in the morning? So obviously I ordered the cheesecake. They have it all ready and gave it to me right away. Wish it was warmer but I doubt they make fresh ones at the end of the day. I love cheesecake and I love soufflé. It was almost a mix of these two desserts so of course I loved this cheesecake! It was light but still creamy enough for me. It was soft and moist. People keep referring it to a sponge cake but I think a sponge cake is way more dry and this definitely wasn't like that. I seriously could've eaten the whole thing but luckily got myself to pull back. read more

No line. Light. Fluffy. Creamy. Yummy. Always gotta grab one and their cheese tarts. It's like biting into a cloud if a cloud was in a food form (well that's what I'd think). Brought one for my sister too and my niece loved it-she's a picky eater. Next time I'm going to try their coffee cheesecake and chocolate flavors. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Original Japanese Cheesecake. Light. Fluffy. Creamy. Yummy. - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

I was eager to try one of these Japanese cheesecakes. They had 2 flavors available. Coffee or original. We took one of each. Both were very good I would describe it as a fluffy lite sponge cake. They have only 1 size which is a bummer as it is rather big. Wish they had a smaller size. The employees were not very informed about there products. Also they couldn't get the drink order right. Worth trying. read more

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Went to try their famous Japanese style light cheesecake. It was just ok. Not very sweet though. Waited for 20 minuets on a weekend night. If you like Asian style light cheesecake, maybe you'll like it. Not for me! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

I was so excited to learn that Uncle Tetsu (or as the proper Korean I am... Tetsu Samchon) opened in the LA area. I had been to the Toronto location when I lived in Michigan and I kept thinking about the flaffiness of the cheesecake. So as has been reiterated a million times, the cheesecake here is not thick Cheesecake factory block of sugar and cheese that can kill a person when chucked at with full force. This is a hybrid that has the texture and feel of a castella or sponge cake and the test of a less sweet, more eggy cheesecake. Its... so... fluffy. And as someone who cannot eat American desserts or cakes bc of the overpowering, hyperglycemia/diabetes-incuding sugar explosion, this is a truly Asian, Japanese take on it. It isnt as dry as a spongecake, and is super light. That being said, the Toronto location had the matcha which I have heard is coming to the LA location too. I am super excited for this, bc the matcha is a totally different experience. It is a bit thicker and not has fluffy as the original, but the matcha flavor is really incredible and goes super well with the cheesecake. I went on a Friday at around 4pm and waited 35 mins, and was able to get.... not 1... but 2 cheesecakes! Which is good bc my parents devoured 1 and my aunt and cousins devoured the second so 1 would not have lasted me and my family very long. Price is definitely on the high end for such a teeny itty bitty cheesecake. The only sad part... plus the line. At least there were some decent Pokemon around... Care to open a second location? okthnxbai read more

The cheesecake from Uncle Tetsu is UNBELIEVABLY FABULOUS! My girlfriend and I agreed this cheesecake was very delicious, tasty, light, and not overly sweet! We will definitely come back! read more

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Initially had this in Taiwan years and years ago. They had original and green tea, although I don't think the green tea is offered here. Line moves in spurts as they work in batches focusing on producing a fresh product. For some reason I actually prefer the cake after it cools down. When it's piping hot, I feel like I can't appreciate the full taste. FYI it does not taste like your usual decadent cheesecake. It's a lighter, fluffier, yolk taste. It definitely will pair well with a warm cup of coffee. Good product on its own but I don't know if it's worth the wait. read more

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First you wait in line. Then you wait some more. Then you watch people walk out with bags on bags of cheesecake. Then it approaches your turn as you get close to the front of the line. You see them pull out the cheesecake and you count the number they pull out vs. the number of people in front of you. You hope someone only gets one. You will be wrong. Then it's your turn. You order more than you think you should. But hey, its less than $10 for a cheesecake so what the hell. Then you eat one of the cheesecakes immediately, because that's why you bought two. Pure Joy. read more

Finally theres one in LA!!! Was estatic to try this place but reading previous reviews, since there was a line, I decided I should come early to wait. Opens at 10am and got there at 1030am. only a 10 minute wait but honestly I think this location isn't the best for them. I had walked by this place before and saw the line was pretty long and after waiting in line for only 10 minutes, I realized why the wait can be long. They need more people, more space, and more ovens to accomidate more customers at once. These Japanese Cheesecakes are made fresh. They are literally sold the moment it comes out the oven. Each oven is set for 45 minutes and only 12 are baked at a time. With a limit of 1 per person, it makes it difficult for those who want to buy more then one since they waited for x amount of time. A great tip is to bring as many people with you to wait in line so that you can buy multiple cheesecakes. Example I stood in line with my 2 kids. So I'm allowed to buy 3. Also if you come early enough where there is no line or a short line, the staff is lenient and allows you to buy multiples. Taste wise, I love how its fresh and so moist. It's extremely fluffy and SUPER light. If I had to compare this to something else, I would say it tastes like a sweeter version of a chinese sponge cake. It's not super cheesey like a regular american cheesecake. Its not dense and packed with cheese flavor. I personally do not like cheesecakes but this Japanese cheesecake is A-ok for me. It has just the right amount of sweetness and a balance of flavor. Expensive for the size you get. In my opinion I think its way better then regular cheesecake just because I can't stand the taste of regular ones but thats just what I think. I do however, think its not worth more then a 10-20 minute wait. I've seen people purchase one and get back in line to purchase more and its not THAT great but it is decent enough to consider trying. read more

The best cheese cake and cheese tart everrr!! Really soft the flavour is just straight to your heart and melt in your mouth also !

Maybe I am a traditionalist, but I want cheesecake to taste like cheesecake - here it tasted like just air. Fair warning that this review is extremely biased since my favorite part of a cheesecake is the crust - this has no crust whatsoever. But I went in with an open mind because of the rave reviews I have seen on yelp and other blogs, sadly, I think I am a crust girl and anything called cheesecake in my eyes is incomplete without a crust. Once my crying session over the lack of crust was over, I decided to see if I could embrace the cheese part of this cake. - I mean cheese is a component of my basic food group. I tried the original, and I didn't taste anything. It was a lovely texture, a little stiffer than a spongecake, but still had that airy feel - but it lacked flavor. When I say lacked flavor, I mean it tasted like nothing. Now if I am going to sign on to getting dessert calories, the dessert better have a taste because otherwise I am just eating air and gaining weight - which is just the most pointless thing one can do, in my humble opinion. This is one more hyped up food item that I will just have to look upon from afar and shake my head because I just don't get it...what's fun about eating air? read more

I'd like to start off this review with how I think that a lot of the low reviews are unfair. When you think cheesecake, the automatic image that pops up (at least for me) in your mind is decadent sweet delight from cheesecake factory or something. However, if that is what you are expecting than you are in for a disappointment. Japanese cheesecake is more similar to sponge cake but with cheese. That isn't to say that this is a savory dish, it is still very much a dessert. However, once you understand what Japanese cheesecake actually is, you can start to appreciate it. The cheesecake is very light, fluffy, and not too sweet. The paper that they use to wrap the cake is high quality with pores to ensure that the cake can breathe. Also, once the cakes are done they brand it with a cute little Uncle Tetsu on top. The lowdown: The line may look long. Do not be fooled into thinking that it constantly moves. It doesn't. Their production is limited to 48 cheesecakes per hour (yes I calculated, that's how bored I was in line) and thus you should plan accordingly based on how much time you have. I believe you can also order ahead of time so maybe you want to utilize that service. I came here while waiting for Din Tai Fung, which coincidentally is an even longer wait, so I recommend you do the same if you don't have shopping to do. read more

Soft, light and moist. Yummy Japanese cheesecake! Wait is usually 20mins or so. Used to be limit one per person. Last time I was there they changed the limit to three per person. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

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Uncle Tetsu's cakes are delicious and my family enjoys the coffee and the limited edition, Oreo flavors. Usually our interactions with the workers there are very limited so there's never really an impression. However, we were there one day and had ordered cakes and drink (we were waiting for the drink to be made) and we wanted to sample one of the flavors that we never had before. The gentleman who worked there gave us a dirty look for asking to try the sample. It was just one sample. But why??? Rest of the staff were generally courteous though. read more

Do NOT fall into this hype trap like I did. I came here with absolutely no expectation one Sunday night because I had nothing else to do. So sure, why not wait an hour for Japanese Cheesecake. The cheesecake takes so long to make because they only have 2 ovens. And he employees are making cheesecakes feverishly hour after hour. So you do get a fresh cheesecake when you're there. However, the cheesecake is not worth the hype nor the wait. It tasted like tasteless air. I do appreciate the staff here though! They are super friendly and answered all questions anyone threw at them. Though I can tell these questions may get repetitive to them overtime. They also bring out their sample sized milk teas for those who are waiting in line. I like their milk tea a lot actually! It was light and tasty! read more

This eatery is right next door to Nordstrom. Service was friendly and even helped me pick a drink, she even offered to make it sweeter for me if I needed her to. I ordered the salted carmel cream coffee with boba, which was great. The presentation was nice and it tasted good. Will definitely be back to try other things. read more

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Oh my. Melt in my mouth. Perfect for my taste buds. Not too sweet. Dont expect this to be like a regular cheesecake because it is not. Limit is two per person. So glad I bought two. There is always a line which takes forever. Everything is super fresh. You get it once it comes out if the oven. I imagine this will taste good with coffee. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Always a long line - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

My all time craving is Cheese cake. It is incredibly good. The texture & taste is more than expectation. I will never be upset with their Cheesecake. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Latino review- when its warm. The cheese cake here has the texture of a bottom half of a Tres Leches Cake with the taste of KFC mashed potatoes kinda. It made me a little empachado.. ¡Gacho! I put it the fridge, the next day it tasted way. better. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

I was fortunate to have found a line at this new establishment only 30 minutes long, instead of 2 hours. It seems the San Gabriel Valley is going crazy over this one night wonder which only serves one food item; Japanese cheesecake. Now with a cheesecake factory in the same mall, it makes you wonder what makes this cheesecake so popular. I think part of it is that it is so light and fluffy, over the thick and cheesy type us Americans are used to. It seems only a hint of cheese is actually tasted, which makes the taste more of an Angel Food quality, yet firm enough without bending the pastry. I have had a few tastes of the new cheesecake and felt it would be good with any fruit and ice cream . I am not one for cheesecake straight or up, but find the texture quite intriguing. Try it at least once during the week, so the lines are shorter, and by the way, only one cheesecake per person. so bring your kids, boyfriend/girlfriend and get at least a couple, so that it can last at least the day between you... read more

Uncle Tetsu - Showcase - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California