I have written about Rainbow Pancake before and how busy the location was, the lines going to the popular restaurant but also how delicious and fluffy the pancakes were.
But I felt I needed to revisit the location and give a more thorough review. Because this place is worth visiting!
Since I wrote my review of Rainbow Pancake, Tokyo is going through a pancake boom. Restaurants are popping up showcasing beautifully made, elegant and delicious pancakes. But Rainbow Pancake is still a Harajuku-Jingumae original, still very popular and worth checking out!
When arriving to the location, you will want to go to the second floor for general seating. The first floor is the private room which can be reserved for Y2000 for 90 minutes.
When you go inside, wait to be seated as the place is typically packed. In the past three years, Rainbow Pancake always had long lines but I waited to visit around 3:00-4:00 p.m. and sure enough, there was a much shorter line and I was able to get in quickly.
You will get the menu to order and my mind was made up before I went in, I wanted my favorite, the macadamia nut with white cream sauce pancake.
Customer service was fantastic and was grateful to get the permission to take photos of the employees making my pancake.
As I sat observing the vibe of the area, I was amazed how many families, couples and people kept coming in, rarely a moment of empty seating. The place was continually packed.
And because the pancakes are made fresh, it’s not like America’s iHop or Denny’s, where you get the pancake and add your choice of syrup and jelly, Japanese pancake restaurants are like an art form. Specifically made with delicious sauces or icing and much different than what we are typically accustomed to in the U.S.
The pancakes were fluffy and unlike American pancakes or English pancakes which are thinner, japanese pancakes are thicker but not heavy, they are very fluffy and moist.
Overall, I had a wonderful experience at Rainbow Pancake. The place is kept clean, the employees are hardworking and customer service was wonderful.
But most importantly, the pancakes they server are delicious and well-made.
If you are in the Harajuku area, definitely give Rainbow Pancake a try! Just remember, the place is always packed, so there maybe longer lines depending on the time you go. But as for the food, you won’t be disappointed.
