One of the most popular posts on my blog to date is the Hello Kitty Cafe Los Angeles post (if you were just redirected from there, hello!) Sadly, the LA cafe was a temporary pop-up in Arcadia and no longer exists. No need to fear! I finally went to the permanent Hello Kitty Cafe in Irvine and I’m so stoked to be sharing my experience with you. (Update: Hello Kitty Cafe Vegas post here!)
Before I begin, it’s important to know that there are two different areas at the Hello Kitty Cafe at Irvine Spectrum – the Grand Cafe and the Bow Room. The quick lowdown is that the Grand Cafe is a traditional cafe and the Bow Room is specific to afternoon tea and/or cocktail service. While the Bow Room does accept walk-ins (if you’re reading this during COVID, the services are outdoors and not in the actual Bow Room), it’s first come first serve and I highly recommend making reservations.
Hello Kitty Cafe
This part of the cafe is your typical, adorable cafe. You can grab super fun iced teas (strawberry, mango, passionfruit, rose, and more,) lemonades, seasonal drinks, and of course, coffee. Looking for the Hello Kitty foam art for the ‘gram? You’re going to want to order a hot espresso drink for that!
As amazing as the drinks are, is that what anyone is really here for? We’re all here for the food, correct? Just about everything on their food menu is ‘grammable and oh-so-cute! I tried the mini cinnamon sugar donuts, the birthday cake, the macarons and a couple seasonal items, the pumpkin tart and the pumpkin hot chocolate. They were all delicious!
The Hello Kitty Cafe hours are:
Monday ~ Thursday – 11:00AM-8:00PM
Friday – 11:00AM-9:00PM
Saturday & Sunday – 10:00AM-9:00PM
The Bow Room
In non-COVID times, you’ll head to a room at the cafe called The Bow Room. It has, you guessed it, a huge neon Hello Kitty bow on the wall and is a separate dining space. In the Bow Room, you can enjoy afternoon tea and, in the evenings, cocktail service.
The afternoon tea hours are:
Friday – 11:00AM-2:30PM
Saturday & Sunday – 11:00AM-3:30PM
The cocktail service hours are:
Friday & Saturday – 5:00PM-9:30PM
Afternoon tea and cocktail service are still available, but you won’t be able to enjoy in the iconic Bow Room while indoor dining services are impacted by COVID restrictions. All tables are currently outside for safe al fresco dining. While not explicitly shared on the website, an employee told me you need reservations while COVID restrictions are in place, so keep that in mind when you plan your trip!
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