OTAKU

Name: OTAKU
Address: Zaa'beel Second - Dubai Design District - Dubai, Dubai Design District, Dubai, AE
Telephone: +97145833020

Dubai Design District

Japanese restaurant Open now 04 583 3020

OTAKU is a Japanese café and restaurant in Dubai Design District, combining Japanese-inspired breakfast and brunch with specialty coffee, matcha and bakery-style desserts. Customers especially come for the fluffy soufflé pancakes and thoughtfully designed, minimalist setting.

Reputation Score

4.5

★★★★★

1,043 ratings

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The Good Stuff

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Soufflé Pancakes

The fluffy soufflé pancakes are often compared favourably with those served in Japan, with classic strawberry and savoury versions available.

Matcha Drinks

Matcha is a standout, including premium ceremonial-grade options and distinctive flavours such as Earl Grey crème.

Let's go!

What to Eat at OTAKU

Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of OTAKU, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.

Food 1

Crème brûlée Net +2

“The CRÈME BRÛLÉE is delicious, but only the top pancake has cream on it. There wasn't enough cream to eat the bottom pancake.”

Honorable mentions (24)

Açaí bowl Net +1

“Matcha was incredible and food is amazing. Workers are so kind and the place is so peaceful. Açaí bowl was my fav but literally everything tastes and looks amazing”
Avocado toast Net +1

“2. Avocado Toast (4/5) Quite good, fresh, and enjoyable.”
Cajun chicken sandwich Net +1

“The pancake is absolutely delicious! Fluffy, perfectly cooked. And the Cajun chicken sandwich is a flavor explosion! Juicy, well-seasoned chicken with the perfect amount of spicy🌶️.”
Chicken poke bowl Net +1

“I tried their iced Einspanner, and my friend had an iced Americano with a croissant and egg. We also ordered a chicken poke bowl and their fluffy mango pancake — everything was really enjoyable.”
Chicken sando Net +1

“The chicken sando was absolutely perfect—crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside.”
Chorizo soufflé pancakes Net +1

“4. Chorizo soufflé pancakes and lavender citrus - my friend got these and loved both, so I guess they’re recommend-worthy too!”
Croissant Net +1

“I tried their iced Einspanner, and my friend had an iced Americano with a croissant and egg. We also ordered a chicken poke bowl and their fluffy mango pancake — everything was really enjoyable.”
Fluffy mango pancake Net +1

“I tried their iced Einspanner, and my friend had an iced Americano with a croissant and egg. We also ordered a chicken poke bowl and their fluffy mango pancake — everything was really enjoyable. The pancake portion was quite large, easily enough for 2 people to share.”
Fries Net +1

“The fries were golden and crispy, just the way I like them.”
Honey toast Net +1

“The mains and the honey toast were delicious!”
Honeydew boba Net +1

“3. Honeydew boba - The base itself was fantastic, the boba is mixed (you have some tapioca pearls and some popping boba). I think next time I’ll ask them to stick to one kind of boba cause I’m realising I don’t enjoy a mix of some popping and some not haha. Their tapioca pearls were soft and nice, definitely recommend!”
Iced coffee tiramisu Net +1

“The iced coffee tiramisu and Cafe latte crack ☕️ is simply divine! The blend of rich coffee flavors is a match made in heaven. It’s refreshing and indulgent at the same time. A perfect treat for any coffee lover!.”
Iced einspanner Net +1

“I tried their iced Einspanner, and my friend had an iced Americano with a croissant and egg. We also ordered a chicken poke bowl and their fluffy mango pancake — everything was really enjoyable.”
Lavender citrus Net +1

“4. Chorizo soufflé pancakes and lavender citrus - my friend got these and loved both, so I guess they’re recommend-worthy too!”
Matcha tiramisu Net +1

“Literally came back twice for the s’mores cakes & matcha 😋 their matcha tiramisu & matcha earl grey creme is really good.”
Otaku hash Net +1

“Definitely recommend the Otaku Hash! Full of flavour!”
Poached eggs on avocado Net +1

“I had the poached eggs on avocado, which was delicious, but the portion was quite small for the price.”
Raspberry soufflé pancakes Net +1

“2. Raspberry soufflé pancakes - I tried the raspberry one and absolutely loved it. I’ve tried making soufflé pancakes countless times at home, they’d be eggy in flavour and deflate so fast. But the cafe does the pancakes so well! They stay thick and fluffy throughout, but they’re also cooked through! Truly magnificent; I wish I could cop their recipe for my personal use. The raspberry version is one I’ll highly recommend”
S’mores cakes Net +1

“Literally came back twice for the s’mores cakes & matcha 😋 their matcha tiramisu & matcha earl grey creme is really good.”
Shrimp crispy rice Net +1

“1. Shrimp crispy rice - I’ve seen countless crispy rice videos on social media, so I was happy to be able to finally try it. It’s extremely flavourful and comes with avocado slices. The only downside is (not the cafe’s issue, it’s because of the sticky rice itself. It’s a practical issue) that since it’s sticky rice, when you bite into it there will be rice bits sticking to your incisors. I would recommend using a fork and knife to make bite sized pieces to avoid that”
Soba noodles Net +1

“Had the soba noodles and the classic strawberry pancakes which were delicious.”
Truffle balls Net +1

“The truffle balls were rich and delicious, bursting with flavor.”
Japanese cheesecake Net 0

Mixed feedback

“Their dessert menu is extensive, I tried a Japanese cheesecake and it was delicious.”
Otaku benedict Net 0

Mixed feedback

“We ordered Strawberry Soufflé Pancakes, Otaku Benedict, Earl Grey Creme Matcha and Slated Vanilla Matcha. Loved loved the drinks, so yummy, would definitely come here again. Food was really good, pancakes were soft and eggs and bacon cooked to perfection. I dont think anyone would be disappointed with the food here.”

Drinks 2

Earl grey creme matcha Net +3

“So delicious ! I saw the address on Tiktok and it’s not over ratted at all ! Best Matcha ever (earl grey creme) and the pancakes are so tasty”
Iced americano Net +2

“The Americano coffee is perfect”

Honorable mentions (9)

Blueberry foam matcha Net +1

“The blueberry foam matcha was excellent and definitely a highlight.”
Cafe latte crack Net +1

“The iced coffee tiramisu and Cafe latte crack ☕️ is simply divine! The blend of rich coffee flavors is a match made in heaven. It’s refreshing and indulgent at the same time. A perfect treat for any coffee lover!.”
Coconut water Net +1

“Amazing decoration very calm for the eye as well but the place is not made to sit for so long. The food was amazing rich with flavor love it I ordered Turkish egg, and tired there coconut water match it was good.”
Matcha Net +1

“Matcha was incredible and food is amazing. Workers are so kind and the place is so peaceful. Açaí bowl was my fav but literally everything tastes and looks amazing”
Matcha latte Net +1

“A great menu and the matcha latte is excellent.”
Orange juice Net +1

“3. Orange Juice (4/5) Refreshing and tasty.”
Passion fruit juice Net +1

“4. Passion Fruit Juice (4/5) Flavorful and refreshing.”
Premium ceremony grade matcha Net +1

“The fluffy pancakes are to die for and they have premium ceremony grade matcha.”
Slated vanilla matcha Net +1

“We ordered Strawberry Soufflé Pancakes, Otaku Benedict, Earl Grey Creme Matcha and Slated Vanilla Matcha. Loved loved the drinks, so yummy, would definitely come here again.”

What to Avoid (4)

Food 4

California roll Net −1

“On the other hand, the California roll missed the mark for me. There was too much rice, and I could not really taste the mango or the crab meat, which made the flavors feel muted.”
Coconut curry Net −1

“OTAKU BENEDICT had a bland taste overall, and the COCONUT CURRY was just sweet, but the chicken was delicious.”
Scrambled eggs Net −1

“The food was underwhelming, scrambled eggs were overcooked and dry and they did not comply with my request to make it soft.”
Smoked salmon Net −1

“Smoked Salmon was not fresh or tasty at all and the pancakes were incredibly medicore.”

Tips for a Better Visit

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Share Pancakes. Consider sharing a fluffy pancake: one mango version was described as large enough for two people.

Plan Parking. Use the nearby free parking lot, but allow for the reported 3–5 minute walk to the café.

Plan the visit

Practical details

Zaa'beel Second - Dubai Design District - Dubai

Zaa'beel Second - Dubai Design District, Dubai

04 583 3020

Mon	7:00 AM – 11:30 PM
Tue	7:00 AM – 11:30 PM
Wed	7:00 AM – 11:30 PM
Thu	7:00 AM – 11:30 PM
Fri	7:00 AM – 11:30 PM
Sat	7:00 AM – 11:30 PM
Sun	7:00 AM – 11:30 PM

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Common Concerns

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Service Conduct

One recent visit was disrupted when a manager shouted at staff in front of customers.

Inconsistent Eggs

Eggs have been reported as overcooked and dry, or served ice cold, despite a request for a softer preparation.

DXB
LOCAL

The Bottom Line

OTAKU is a Japanese café and restaurant in Dubai Design District with a calm, minimalist setting and a menu built around breakfast, brunch, specialty coffee, matcha and desserts. The main draw is the fluffy soufflé pancake, especially the classic strawberry-and-cream version, while savoury pancakes give you a less sugary alternative. Matcha is another strong reason to visit, with flavours such as Earl Grey crème and options for sweet or unsweetened portions.

The menu is broader than pancakes alone. Reviews mention avocado toast, the Otaku Hash, steak at breakfast, chicken poke bowls and well-executed pasta, although individual dishes vary: Turkish eggs, Benedict and some pasta were criticised for blandness, while one scrambled-egg order was dry and another egg dish arrived cold. The food is often beautifully presented, but pancake pricing and some small portions may feel hard to justify.

The interior is clean, peaceful and Japanese-inspired, with indoor and outdoor seating and street views. Nearby free parking helps, but expect a 3–5 minute walk. Chairs lack back support, so this is better for a relaxed meal than a long work session.

Service reviews are mixed, including complaints about inattentiveness and one uncomfortable incident involving a manager shouting at staff.