Matcha Cafe Maiko

The matcha ice cream here is incredible! The matcha flavor is strong and deep. It’s great on its own, as part of a sundae, or with the Hojicha Float! I’ve gotten full tubs of the matcha ice cream to take home in the past too. They also have other flavors like Ube and lattes too that are all really good. They used to have a crispy rice topping (not the puffed rice) that added a super nice nutty flavor to the matcha, and it looks like it’s not available anymore. I hope they bring it back!

For me it is a little too sweet. But the location is great, plenty of parking and very easy to order. I am lactose intolerant but somehow I can consume it. Thank you for the service!

This place is open till late which great. Seating is tough to come across and thats on a weekday. You order through a kiosk screen and everything is well described on there. The waffles take a little time to prepare but parfait was available pretty quick. I didn't like the matcha and hojicha icecream flavor much even though I like those flavor. The ube and vanilla flavor tasted good. The bubble waffles were warm and crisp. Their ice cream is not the richest in flavor and is more on the airy side. One waffle + ice cream is too much for a dingle person and would prefer to share it.

Matcha Cafe Maiko is a delightful haven for matcha enthusiasts and dessert aficionados alike. Stepping into this cozy cafe in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, one is greeted by the enticing aroma of freshly brewed matcha and the promise of delectable treats crafted with care. From the moment we walked in with our son, we were captivated by the warm ambiance and welcoming atmosphere. The menu, boasting an array of tantalizing offerings, piqued our interest with its promise of premium ingredients and authentic flavors. Opting for their famed matcha and ube mixed soft serve, we were treated to a delightful treat. The soft serve was impeccably smooth, with each spoonful bursting with the rich essence of matcha and the subtle sweetness of ube. It was a true indulgence that left us craving more. Accompanying our sweet indulgence was a serving of tempura snack, showcasing the cafe's commitment to excellence in every bite. The tempura was flawlessly fried to golden perfection, encasing fresh shrimp that practically melted in our mouths. It was a testament to the cafe's dedication to quality and freshness. What truly sets Matcha Cafe Maiko apart is its unwavering commitment to authenticity and quality. With ingredients sourced directly from Uji, Japan, renowned for its premium matcha, every sip and every bite transports patrons on a culinary journey imbued with tradition and excellence. Moreover, the impeccable service we received further enhanced our dining experience. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and eager to ensure our visit was nothing short of exceptional. In addition to its culinary delights, Matcha Cafe Maiko offers a haven for families, making it the perfect destination for a memorable outing with loved ones.

It's a good sense to put edible gold paper on a thick green tea ice cream.It feels luxurious. Green tea tastes stronger than other places. The other ice cream with red beans has taping, so it feels different. Personally, I liked this more because I ate it with mochi.

A nice first-time experience. Customer service was really friendly and kind. The match soft-served is worth the price. It's a nice flavor of matcha, not too sweet, yet has the bitterness of match (not intense). Everything is handmade in the back, confirmed by an employee. The cone was crunchy, and again, not too sweet, but just right. And now... for my Yuzu soda. Syrup does its job. It's a Peach flavor, and the soda is yummy, and it settles in my stomach well. Think about a sprite without all the sugar, just a portion, with Peach. 👌🏾 9.5/10 experience.

As a matcha enthusiast, I had to try this place out and it did not disappoint; I got a classic matcha latte with soy milk and it was the perfect temperature 👌 Great premium matcha taste, and not sweet at all. It was delicious 😋 I will definitely go back. The only feedback I'd like to share to make it better would be to not charge $1 for milk substitution. That's all. :)

Not your typical Matcha commonly found in San Diego cafes, this place offers genuine premium Matcha, you can taste and see the difference.on top of offering premium matcha, this place serves a variety of unique and traditional Japanese treats ranging from pumpkin spice Dango to Green tea soft serve in a warm melon pan. Additionally, they sell prepackaged green tea treats such as matcha sets and matcha chocolate bark! Great gift for matcha lovers. The place is small and the interior is plain would recommend taking your order to go. Tip: go on a Wednesday they have sale buy one get one 50% off 2-5pm

This little cafe is the best pit stop for your matcha cravings! They have everything from matcha drinks, to matcha ice cream, to matcha desserts, and more! The service is pretty fast since it's a small shop and you can hangout, do work, etc. while you're here. It usually becomes busy as the night continues, but nothing super crazy at most you may just have to eat in your car (which you can do since there's plenty of spots in the parking lot). I personally always get a matcha and vanilla swirl soft serve and my boyfriend gets the matcha float, which is essentially a matcha latte with matcha soft serve on top! The quality of their matcha is unmatched. You can tell it's very authentic.

When I got back from Japan, one of my travel friends and I wanted to go get Japanese iced treats. We chose this place because it opened at 11:00, an hour earlier than most of the other Asian dessert places in Convoy. It was a nice low key, good vibe place with friendly service and Instagram worthy desserts. We ordered matcha ice cream and mine was loaded up with mochi balls and other sweet treats like crunchy cornflakes. We enjoyed the morning there, chatting about Tokyo and the Japanese countryside and our favorite places we visited in Japan. I did make it through my entire matcha dessert and it was most delicious! But hey, don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself!

Got a chance to visit matcha cafe maiko again and this time there was nobody at the counter to take order, all orders are done on the kiosks by customers themselves. It probably makes sense considering the high labor price but there's a huge drawback. Some customers have no clue what they want and spend 10+ minutes browsing through the menu. It's ice cream people!!! Make the decision and move on!! This whole thing made the visit felt very impersonal. It's like a hall where you can buy food and sit... Regardless, the food came out pretty fast after you manage to get the order in. Hojicha and matcha ice cream were tasty on a hot summer day.

Tbh, I didn't like this place the first time I checked it out but I went back a second time and really became fond of the drinks! It can get busy and loud even during the day with college students studying and/or general visitors but service is quick. There are quite a few workers, all doing their own specific thing so it makes everything go by seamlessly. I tried the Matcha with the Ube foam and the matcha was so refreshing. My sister who loves Matcha stated this was the best matcha she's had so far so that says alot! Will definitely be back!

Got their maiko jelly special but missing the Krispies on top? It hit the spot bt I would probably just order the ube soft serve next time as it was very good. Service was quick even though they were busy. I also liked how her boys they are with their serving. Cute place!

It was definitely overwhelming at first, BUT I feel like any of the options would be great! I got the iced strawberry matcha latte and I absolutely loved it - so refreshing and definitely a great blend of both strawberry jam/puree + matcha! I definitely want to come back to try the ice creams/other drinks & the cute little pastries they sold up front! The employees were definitely patient and kind with helping me decide!

I've been coming here for a long time and this is the best matcha in SD. They have quality matcha and flavor is bold with hint of sweetness. I usually get myself the iced matcha latte or iced hojicha but it's been so hot lately that all I crave is their soft serve. It is super delicious bc the flavors are strong & bold. We got the ube/matcha swirl in a cup plus the cone on top. They have rotating flavors and everything is good. The store is long and they have a lot of seating but it can get cramped in there when it gets busy plus it's warm in there most likely due to the soft serve machines so I like to enjoy my ice cream outside. Service is always friendly here and they now have a tablet you can order from if you don't want to talk to anyone. Def recommend it!

I came for the soft serve! They have various items that are matcha flavor such as drinks, snacks, parfaits, and more. They serve drinks here but I didn't get anything this time around. Upon walking in it was pretty busy which means it has to be good right?! Not much sitting area but they did have a big table if you have 6 people in your group. To the left side you can see a giant standing fridge where they offer the kokonut desserts (coconut jelly pudding desserts with fruits, jellys, and more). On the right hand side you see a screen that you can order from. And next to that a spot with tea bags and snacks you can purchase. In the middle there is also another screen you can order from as well. After you put in your order and pay, there is a TV that will show your order number and name and if it is ready. It came out pretty fast! I got the matcha and hojicha soft served in a cup with a cone on top. (you can pick two flavors!!! the flavors they had were matcha, vanilla, ube, and hojicha, and you can pick any two if you like!). The soft serve was pretty generous for its price and quality I feel. The soft serve was smooth and velvety. The matcha was a good amount of dark and earthy taste. The hojicha was slightly sweeter, same texture, and you can taste the tea and roastyness of it. I think next time I'm going to get the ube and hojicha mixed. Usually my go to. But was feeling matcha this time. Big parking lot so plenty of spaces to park!

The matcha quality is amazing here! This is not the type of matcha you get at Starbucks, this is legit! I've been here a few times & I love their drinks. The only reason I don't come as often is because their drinks are on the pricier side, but understandable because matcha is usually expensive in general. For 2 drinks, we paid $20. We got the dirty Oreo matcha latte & the Oreo hojicha frappe, i love Oreo so both were amazing!

We didn't realize how close we were to this place and so happy to be close to one! My fiancé and I love matcha so we dropped by on a weekend around noon and wasn't too crowded but was a small wait for our drinks. You can order either on the kiosk or with a person at the cash register. We ordered a regular matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte. The matcha latte did not disappoint! It was so smooth. The strawberry matcha did taste a little grainy, so you constantly need to mix it. But definitely would come back and want to try more matcha stuff! So good!

We stopped by after having dinner at a restaurant nearby. I ordered the Maiko Special with matcha and vanilla soft serve ice cream. The ice cream was excellent - light, fluffy and delicious. The bitterness of the matcha was well balanced with the sweetness of the vanilla. The parfait contained adzuki beans, cornflakes and matcha sponge cake. For me, it was a bit too much and when I return again, I would simply order the ice cream in a cone. Service was quick and the place got full shortly after we arrived. The place small, but comfortable.

Great place to get a good study session in! Not too loud or too quiet. Service is great and the owner is wonderful. Matcha soft serve was freaking fantastic, I thought I wouldn't be able to finish it but did because it was delicious. My friends got matcha lattes and enjoyed them. Wi-Fi works well. Pricey but it's fun to go for a treat that you know will be quality!

This place has evolved so much over the years. They still have the BEST MATCHA IN TOWN. It doesn't matter what form: latte, soft serve ice cream, or pure powder. The owner recommended to me a matcha latte with the kokuto jelly and I haven't looked back. I tried the melon pan with soft serve and it's pretty filling and sweet. There's a lot more people that sit inside and hang out. It can get loud at times, but that's to be expected. The tables are usually messy, even during slow times. But I still go out of my way to get Matcha Maiko.

I was really craving a matcha float on 8/15 so I stopped in here. And I was extremely bummed to find out they didn't have matcha powder in stock???? The girl working was really sweet and she told me that she could pretty much make anything else on the menu. And not to be rude, but like, how do you not have matcha???? I was super bummed and decided to make a 20 min drive to the Mira Mesa location because I had a really bad craving for it.

I only come here for one thing and one thing only. Water based hot matcha. This is not your Starbucks quick fix. Drink this slowly and with respect, it will provide you with an earthy decadence that is hard to find.

My wife and I frequented this location several times when we first started dating. We always enjoyed the soft serve, drinks, and service. We enjoyed the experience so much so that we booked Matcha Cafe Maiko San Diego for dessert at our wedding two weeks ago, and it couldn't have turned out better. We first reached out almost a year ago. From the beginning we were very happy with the responsiveness and friendliness of one of the owners. He worked with us to set up a generous tasting of their menu to figure out which items we wanted. We decided on the matcha and ube ice cream, shaved ice, and sparkling yuzu drinks. Planning went smoothly. The owner took care of all of the logistics and setup. We just had to make sure they had two tables to use at our venue. Of course at our wedding we didn't have a lot of time to try all of the food and dessert, but from what we tasted and heard from our guests, the Matcha Cafe Maiko desserts and service were all fantastic. Thank you for the continued great experience! We look forward to visiting the new location in Mira Mesa since it's closer to home.

I have been to a similar cafe in Vegas and wanted a matcha ube swirl so we brought our party of 9 to cool our palates after dinner nearby. We used the kiosk to order our desserts and drinks. Sadly they told out of ube so I ordered Matcha swirl with vanilla in a cup which hit the spot. Free private lot parking is a plus. The cafe is small but was able to fit our party in

Delicious high quality matcha!! They have a large assortment of matcha + hojicha drinks and desserts. My favorite things on the menu are the strawberry matcha latte and the matcha float. You can sub for almond, soy, or oat milk in your lattes for extra $. The matcha float is huge and could be split between two people. Service has always been friendly, and parking is usually a breeze. This is definitely THE place to go for matcha lovers!

When you don't know what to get for lunch but can't get thoughts of matcha soft serve out of your head, just save yourself the trouble and head to Matcha Maiko. I had matcha ice cream a few different times in Japan and have been craving it since returning. I ordered a matcha soft serve in a cone one afternoon and loved it. The matcha felt very rich, the soft serve was creamy, and cone crisp and delicious. They have options to do different flavors, like hojicha, ube, vanilla, and swirl but I wanted to try the matcha straight up. Definitely worth a try if you want a sweet treat that's not cloyingly sweet.

One of my favorite places. I get the iced assam tea and its so refreshing. I go a few times a month. The workers are so nice and the place is clean with plenty of seating. I've had the ice cream and its really good.

Came here during the day on a Sunday and Matcha Maiko never fails to make my day a little better with the best Matcha in San Diego. We got the Hojicha Latte and Matcha Frappe with strawberry jam, both with boba. I love this place because you can add any toppings to any drink. Even though it's not a boba specialty store the boba is so chewy and delicious. I don't think I'll ever get sick of this place!!

This is my go to matcha place in ALL of San Diego, I have yet to find anything that rivals. I have gotten the regular matcha latte and my latest obsession is strawberry matcha. I very much look forward to trying other flavors, the options are endless here. The aesthetics are cute and the location is pretty cool too. In the same shopping center is a nail salon and crab boil spot . I'm so sad Matcha Maiko is a bit of drive for me so whenever I go, it truly is a treat. In fact,my only complaint other than it being cashless ( which with today's times,I totally understand ) , I just wish there were more locations!

The matcha latte and hojicha black sesame latte was so good! The matcha and black sesame flavor in each drink was really strong and quite delicious. The place also looked pretty nice and other people were studying there too, so it looks like a nice place to get work done as well.

Best Matcha in San Diego hands down! I've been there many times, brought many friends to try it! The ambiance is pretty chill and it always smells good inside! They are open late night and they are pretty nice with service! I know everything is made to order. Matcha is my only form of Caffeine and Matcha Cafe Maiko is the place to be at! It is strong and not too sweet! My husband who didn't like matcha at first is now a fan of their ice cream! Hands down! The original bubble waffle with matcha ice cream and the ice cream/with Latte are sooo good!

The interior is nice. The area is okay but I like that this store is tucked back into the shopping center. I got a matcha and ube swirl ice cream. The cone tasted good but was a little weak so when the ice cream melted, it came out the bottom. The ice cream flavors were good. I also got the Hojicha drink. I did the no sugar option. It definitely needs something though. It's a very strong tea with no inherent sweetness (which they told me when I ordered). I added 2 splenda packets that I had with me.

Matcha Cafe Maiko will meet your matcha needs! I was impressed by all of the matcha options, friendly service, and how quickly my drink was prepared. I ordered the Matcha Frappe The matcha was prepared perfectly as a frappe, and didn't haven't too much whip cream and matcha powder on top. I'm looking forward to trying other drinks!

STILL love this place. Love the soft serve here it's so delicious. Amazing flavor, creaminess and texture. Everyone we've brought here has enjoyed it. One who is PICKY AF and she loved the soft serve. Love that they use ceremonial grade matcha. Also, the bubble waffles are very good but they take a bit of time. I can't ever imagine not coming back here. I think about the soft serve from here all the time and I highly recommend for soft serve and/or matcha lovers to try.

We needed to kill some time before lunch. Matcha Kuromitsu Kinako Latte - Delicious. Unfortunately, my husband's stomach doesn't tolerate the kuromitsu (black syrup). I liked it quite a bit. Located in a bigger strip mall. There is plenty of parking.

Came on a Wednesday around 4pm. It was not super busy but had a couple of people eating inside while working on their computers. They are located in a small shopping complex but away from the busy convoy area so parking is a lot better. The parking space is larger compared to the number of busy stores here. It is next to a Subway with a nail salon between them, so I grabbed a foot long churros to eat with my soft serve and it went well together. If you like matcha (the strong bitter taste and not the sweetened artificial matcha) you will like this place. Their matcha ice cream is known to have that strong bitterness and I loved going to the one located in Waikiki. I ordered the half matcha and half vanilla but for some reason they gave me the two flavors on top of one another. The vanilla flavor tasted very closely to yogurt which I don't like as much but the matcha covered that nicely. Maybe I haven't noticed it because they are usually mixed and not separated. Usually they are mixed vertically. I normally don't get anything other than their matcha soft serve. Service is fast although usually it is only one person working here. On Wednesdays they are currently having a buy one get one 50% off so try them out on a Wednesday!

I've tried almost every drink and here my summary, ranked based on taste/price/value: 1) iced matcha latte 9/10: no bullshit just matcha latte 2) Matcha soft serve 8/10: great with first couple bites and then it wears off 3) Iced matcha with cheese 8/10: it's good, nice salty creamy cheese on top but know that you get less matcha latte because of the size of the cup and pay more for the cheese. Can be a bit on the heavier side 4) Ube soft serve 7/10: just like the matcha soft serve, good for first couple of bites, wears off. Ube is ok. Would only get it when you crave it 5) matcha Maiko special 3/10: too much bullshit, the red bean is more on a Chinese side, less sweet and the brown sugar Gelee and crisps are tasteless and just take space for other good stuff 6) brown sugar Gelee matcha latte 2/10: you pay a lot extra for less matcha latte because of the tasteless Gelee.

I love matcha I can get icecream and they have Groupon vouchers it's the top of the top of the best and it's my fave!

I've been wanting to try this place for a while now and I'm so happy to finally be able to visit! Unfortunately, we stopped by during one of the hottest days of the year and they didn't have AC for some reason, so it was uncomfortably boiling hot inside the store, even with all the doors already wide open. The staff were still in good spirits though and that helped a lot. What we had: Matcha Americano Latte Float - a dirty matcha latte that comes with soft serve ice cream on top. We chose the matcha/hojicha ice cream combo and that tasted amazing! You really get that roasted flavor from the hojicha and the earthiness from the matcha. It did melt super quick though and caused quite a bit of a mess since it was on top of the drink and the cup was already pretty full as it is. The matcha/americano drink was alright--nothing special about it. However, once you combine the dirty matcha latte with the ice cream, it's a whole new drink. All the sweetness you'll get will actually come from the ice cream because if you just have the drink itself, it doesn't have any sweetness at all. Ube Dalgona Cafe Latte - my favorite out of the two drinks we tried! The ube part was very flavorful with just the right amount of creaminess and sweetness; however, the dalgona foam on top kicks the entire drink up about ten notches once you mix it in. Probably one of the best ube cafe lattes I've had so far! Will definitely get this one again! We also wanted to get some of their Shiratama Dango Skewers and this one I was super excited about too, but they didn't have them when we stopped by. I'm hoping the next time we visit they'll have them so we can have some.

Been trying to get into matcha more, and got the matcha ube soft serve ($6.75). The ube paired well with the matcha which was not too sweet and a little bitter. It was a good portion to share. I would come back to try their matcha latte and melon pan!

A delicious dessert needs to be had after a meal across the street (Sot BBQ). Ordered the Maiko Special and it hit the spot.

I have been to the location in OC and I was surprised to see it in SD! my sister and I were picking up food in the plaza and decided to give it a try. parking was easy and it wasn't too crowded inside - we ordered immediately. We got the strawberry matcha and matcha latte with cheese foam. so so good! matcha is high quality and gave us the pick-me-up we needed for the rest of our day. perfectly sweet. a bit on the pricier side but worth the splurge for a treat!

Found my matcha fix! Located in a smaller strip mall with ample parking - it was an easy get in and get out! The staff was helpful in helping us decide whether we should get it iced or hot! Easy to check in and order and the wait was barely a wait! Matcha latte iced - yes! Hojitcha iced half sweetened - just right - you can still taste the toastiness! This place makes it right! The contents to ice ratio was perfect!!!

I love this spot! One of my favorite matcha stops. I usually get the matcha latte w/ cheese foam and boba. It hits every time! It is more of a dessert matcha to me, but one of the best in SD.

Ok, but what is this madness?! Amazing matcha, look at that cool color (please reference photo). ‍

strawberry latte w/ cheese foam (5/5): super cheesy foam which isn't always my fav but i love how much they give u and it taste pretty good if you sip so you don't get too much at once. good matcha flavor. matcha latte (5/5): really good, good matcha flavor & nicely blended (no thick chunks of ice, etc.)!

Food 4.5/5 wow delicious Matcha ice cream w latte drink, and waffles. Both definitely hits the spot, not too sweet. They offer a ridiculous number of delicious ways to eat and drink Matcha. Service 4/5 decent service, and helpful recommendations by the cashier for first timer. Ambiance 4/5 clean and very busy store on Good Friday.

The matcha here is definitely above the rest. Their menu is all things matcha with a few other types of deliciousness too! The matcha soft serve is my favorite. They have other flavors too including vanilla, ube and yuzu. I enjoy getting to enjoy the soft serve in the hojicha latte. The flavor of the two together is incredible! In addition to the matcha cafe menu items, they also serve kokonuts yogurt in a refrigerator that you can take to go.

My favorite place to get matcha ! I always get be strawberry matcha latte with soy milk and it never disappoints

Solid spot to study (woo they have outlets), but the waffles can be a little inconsistent. Waited almost 35 minutes for my waffle, and the texture was a little soggy and lacked flavor. Very disappointed at this. :( That being said, the Hojicha Latte was rich, creamy, and not too sweet. Matcha soft serve is also something that always lures me back...

Missed the BOGO 50% off (2-5p) but still enjoyed the delicious March desserts. Medium matcha jelly parfait & matcha special with matcha boba waffle is plenty enough for two and then some. It is the best matcha in all San Diego. I love their Hojicha, the only place where I can really taste the roasted green tea flavor.

I visited on a weekday afternoon and there was no wait. The inside is very clean and plenty of room to sit. Ordered four different things. 1. Waffle soft serve with ube and matcha - ice cream is very true to its flavors and waffle is very crunch 2. Egg waffle original - very crispy but fluffy on the inside, loved the extra crispy edges 3. Maiko special with ube and matcha - loved the mochi balls and the corn flakes add a nice crunch, would definitely get again 4. Ube dalgona latte - more dalgona forward than ube, pretty sweet Also they have Kokonut handmade jelly in the fridge for sale.

I always come to Matcha Cafe Maiko in Rowland Heights or this San Diego location because they serve the best matcha desserts I've ever tasted! The matcha here is of high quality and the desserts have the best balance between bitter and sweet. My go-to order is the Matcha Soft Serve! A little fun order I like to ask for is to have the soft serve in a cup and a cone on top. This way, I can share with someone else and we break down the cone into bits (: This location is always very lively, with people sitting and chatting while others study. Parking has also never been an issue for me in this area! However, I've gone to this location multiple times before, and for some reason, I get caught up with bad service experiences. I do admire their quick service, but the cashiers I've encountered personally have often seemed very irritated or annoyed when taking my order. I understand it might be due to long days and fatigue; everyone has their off days. Even so, the energy they give makes me feel bad. It makes me feel like adding an order to their plate is bothersome. Just to note, these were just unlucky encounters I've personally experienced. I'm sure there are better encounters for other people at this place! Nevertheless, I will definitely keep coming back to this location whenever I am craving matcha!

The matcha at Matcha Cafe Maiko is immaculate and is the closest it can get from authentic Japanese Matcha!!!

Matcha came out super fast and tastes fresh. Staff is friendly and attentive. Will come back again!

I love this place, everything I've tried so far has been delicious and the quality never lacks. The staff are also super nice and quick to make the orders. Although the place is small it still has a good amount of seating and I mostly visit during the morning so seating isn't that hard to find. Overall I love this place and I have no complaints.