Motto Tea Cafe - Pasadena — Restaurant in Pasadena

Ok. Here's the deal. The tea is great. We were a group of five, and had some taro green tea, Ovaltine, and a matcha tea. The tea, boba, and cream were all top notch. Of course, we also ordered some pancakes.

The drinks came out in a reasonable time, but we were told that there was an hour and a half wait for the souffle pancakes. 90 minutes! While we were waiting for the drinks I realized why this was. They only have the ability to cook a few at a time. So, we went for a walk. When we returned, our table got one order. 15 min later, we got another two, then 15 min after that we got the last two...

This to me is unreasonable. 90 min! For pancakes!

One, how are they even going to stay in business? This is so inefficient. More importantly, it's rude to start eating before everyone at the table has their food. But here, I'm expected to stare at my food for a half hour while the rest of the orders are prepared. Uh... Not ok. We give you 90 min to prepare our order, and we can't even eat together. Did I mention the hour and a half wait?

Even if you are by yourself, the pancakes aren't worth the wait. Just get your cheese cap matcha and move on.

Everything tasted good, and the staff were very nice. So that's why there are 2 stars. The process of making these pancakes is why I'll just make them at...

I recently visited Motto Tea Cafe with my husband while visiting my brother in LA, and while we initially thought we found a gem, our experience was mixed, which is why I’m giving 3 stars.

On our first visit, the brulee cake and drinks were amazing, and we were really impressed with the gentleman who served us—he made it a wonderful experience. Unfortunately, the next day was quite different. The lady who served us was extremely rude. When we greeted her, she didn’t bother to acknowledge us, which we initially brushed off, thinking she might have been distracted. However, it soon became clear that she wasn’t interested in providing any level of customer service.

She spent the entire time chatting with a coworker, completely ignoring the line of customers and showing no interest in what anyone had to say. Her attitude was incredibly negative, and the way she looked at everyone made it obvious she wasn’t happy to be there. When she finally brought our order to the table, she practically threw the plate at us. The cake was out of shape and had spilled a bit due to how carelessly she handled it.

If she dislikes her job that much, I hope management encourages her to find something else. There’s no reason to make customers suffer from such poor service, especially when the food and drinks are...

Food/Drinks: Soufflé pancakes were light and fluffy, definitely worth the hype. We got the mango sunshine soufflé pancake which came with a sea salt cream and mango topping with granola and assorted fruits. The light saltiness of the cream pairs well with the sweetness of the mango syrup. Combined with a portion of the fluffy pancake, creates a wonderful layered tasting bite. Matcha Lemon Explosion was lightly acidic from the lemonade but softened by the Uji Matcha. Refreshing for a hot LA summer day. Citrus Fresh Oolong w/ Cheese Mousse is a light authentically brewed oolong tea with a hint of citrus. The cheese mousse gives it an extra layer of heavy creamy flavor that complements the oolong tea.

Setting/Ambiance: Nice warm, welcoming and bright ambiance. With good Asian cafe music and a diffused natural light setting, you can watch your soufflé pancakes and drinks being made as you wait in the indoor setting. Or if you prefer the lazy outdoors of Old Pasadena, sit at the many seatings outside in the shaded terrace.

Service: It is estimated to be a 40+ min wait for the soufflé pancakes but we got our food earlier than anticipated so plus point! Easily view your order status on the TV.

Overall: 5/5 a must visit cafe in the old...