Panel Cafe Kyoto

It may be a tourist trap, but we didn’t care one bit, we came specifically to try the soufflé pancakes, and we’re so glad that we did! They were absolutely worth it and lived up to the hype. We showed up early before opening and lucked out by being first in line. The hostess was incredibly kind and seated our family on the cozy sofa area with a low coffee table. When our friends arrived, she also made sure they had their own table nearby. We ordered a variety of soufflé pancakes along with fried chicken and burgers, and everything was delicious but the pancakes completely stole the show. The soufflé pancakes were without a doubt, the best pancakes I’ve ever had. They were impossibly light and fluffy, almost cloud-like, with a delicate jiggle and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Slightly crisp on the outside, warm and airy inside, and perfectly balanced, not overly sweet, each bite felt indulgent without being heavy. Panel Café absolutely lived up to the hype and made our first soufflé pancake experience unforgettable. A must-visit in Kyoto.

Never really a fan of pancakes but checked this one out. Fell in line around 3pm and got seated around 4pm. I may not be the best judge for pancakes. Colleagues really liked it but I didn’t. It’s airy and gone in few mins. I had the matcha creme brulee and can’t really taste the matcha. It’s ok. I’m glad I didn’t skip it.

The pancakes were nice: they were fluffy, jiggly, and well cooked, with no undercooked spots. We had the matcha daifuku and matcha tiramisu. I preferred the matcha tiramisu pancake. The daifuku had a nice texture but overall fell a bit flat compared to the tiramisu. I didn't enjoy the soft serve that came on the side—it was quite sweet and one-dimensional, and while the pancakes needed something moist since they were otherwise dry, I just couldn't eat it. The tiramisu, on the other hand, was already covered in cream, which luckily I enjoyed. The service was fine, and the food was served pretty quickly. I made reservations for the bar and didn't love the decor there—the walls around us looked slightly unkempt, evoking the image of a grunge bar. From what I could tell, the table area looked a little nicer. Still, I'm happy I didn't have to wait in line. I'm not sure I would go back, but I don't regret trying it.

Asked the server to give us the best thing on the menu and she delivered. We had to wait 30-40 minutes to get in at 10:30am so I’d suggest getting there a little bit before they open. Once we were in we ordered before being seated and then the food came out very quickly. The pancakes are absolutely delicious, I no joke finished my whole plate in under 5 minutes it was that good. Elite spot if your willing to either get there a little earlier or wait a bit

Definitely worth the line! The Soufflé pancakes were the best I experienced during my trip to Japan. They are incredibly light and fluffy, but not too filling so we ordered a sweet and a savoury option each. Loved the sauce used for the Benedict option and also the creme brulé was incredible.

Bread of the cheese burger - the best. Crunchy outside. First time to experience that. Fluff pancake - it is good. I have tasted the best. Coffee - needs to improve. Price - reasonable. If you want to try it first, this is your starter.

I thought this place could be tourist trap queue was not that long so I decided to give it a try. I ordered blueberry cheese one I loved the taste of the pancakes and its fluffiness. One plate included two pancakes and I didn’t feel was enough. I should have order one more to feel hungry so maybe you can consider this. Also I didn’t know if it has sugary taste so didn’t order the egg and bacon one after tasting I thought it can also be a good combination with the salty taste. The taste was worth the price.

I've seen Panel Cafe in Kyoto all over my social media news feed so you know we had to go try it. The wait wasn't too bad and we got a seat outside which was really pretty but the pancakes themselves weren't that great. They were a little undercooked, didn't have much flavor and the portion was really small. There are better places in Japan so this was a good experience but don't think we'll be returning in the future.