Kitaichi Hall — Restaurant in Otaru

Visited this place on 16th August, 2021. The cafe has beautiful interiors and the overall atmosphere is charming as well, however that's the only good thing about the place. I had ordered a chocolate parfait which was for 750 yen, and it was quite average in taste. The whipped cream on top was good and so was the chocolate sauce but the ice-cream was of sub-standard quality.

What bothered me the most was the attitude of the girl at the coupon counter at the entrance. She was rather expressionless and came across as cold. When I asked for the menu, she sort of shoved it into my hands. That sort of was the biggest mood-killer for me right at the beginning.

Overall, I felt the place only attracts "tourists" because of the look and feel of the interiors, which make great "insta" worthy pictures but that's about all.

You can visit the cafe if you have time to kill and...

If you're in otaru, love coffee, dessert, and cool unique ambiances...or just trying to get a cool photo for your ig, then this might be your spot. Old school vibes, lots of gas lanterns (might suck if you're sensitive to smells, kindve smells a little lighter than a gas station).

Desserts are so tasty. Can't go wrong with any of them. There's always a wait (probably be cause people take their time taking photos once at their table).

How to:

1. You order at the cashier, then you get assigned a table... Don't be that person who asks for a better table.

2. Once you put your things down at your seat,

3. go to the kitchen counter to wait for your order then take it back to your table.

4. after you finish, you need to bus your own table, don't be a jerk and...

Kita-Ichi Hall in Otaru is a really beautiful spot with a unique atmosphere. The setting with all the old petroleum lamps gives it a slightly mysterious vibe – and even the distinct smell adds to the experience in its own way. We had a couple of desserts and some coffee while we were there. The coffee was unfortunately very burnt and not great, and the desserts were just okay.

The service felt a bit rushed. Not rude or anything, just very focused on efficiency – it definitely had that “tourist conveyor belt” vibe, getting people in and out quickly.

All in all: amazing atmosphere (5), decent food (3), average service (3). Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 – worth visiting for the vibe, but maybe not for the café...