CiCi’s Cafe

I have to say besides the pancakes their food was not all that tasty. I loved their pancakes selection and I believe that’s all they have going for themselves. So if you ever decide to try them out order yourself some pancakes! They will melt in your mouth! The wait is about 30 mins and the prices are high. Overall I say it’s worth it depending on what you order!

the. best. breakfast. EVER.
worth the wait to get the most amazing pancakes, French toast, or waffles. very expansive and interesting selection.
FYI the line gets long, but you can sit outside without waiting typically.

Best damn pancakes.
I have to admit, the reason I chose this place is because they were actually OPEN at 6am, unlike every other breakfast joint in the neighborhood.
I was very pleasantly surprised when I saw the vast pancake selection, but being a creature of habit I ordered two eggs, bacon (4), and two regular buttermilk pancakes.
Everything was perfect (pancakes were spectacular), my waitress was very pleasant, polite and attentive.
I will definitely return to Cici’s.

Some people consider breakfast to be the most significant meal of the day. Let’s be real — breakfast is hands down, the best meal of the day. Whether that breakfast consist of a medium rare steak, over easy eggs, bacon and potatoes. Or Fluffy red velvet pancakes as I mentioned, topped with chocolate shavings, whipping cream, maple syrup, and strawberries; or a piece of fried chicken sitting on a top of a tall stack of buttered-​up waffles, all drowned in maple syrup. Breakfast may be the most SIGNIFICANT meal of the day, but I prefer it when it’s the most decadent.
Based on those mediocre cosmetic appearance, you might assume that the foods there would be characterless as well. But instead of fretting about outward appearances, it looks as though all of CiCi’s efforts went towards creating unforgettable brunch selections. Worlds can never justly describe how scrumptious the breakfast and lunch specialty are. I don’t know if there’s a crack mixed into the batter or what, but it’s frightening how you start to crave more and more.
Cici’s menu is ridiculous. Their menu is as exhausting as reading the «Odyssey» and Shakespears. I called upon the Gods to come to a decision… Meaning that I dropped a pencil and picked whatever it landed next to – very scientific. I was so delighted by more than 30 kinds of pancake options with odd ingredients like bacon and chocolate, Japanese Matcha Green Tea and Vanilla as well as multiple French Toasts, Waffle and even crêpe options plus Eggs Benedict and sandwiches. Sounds like varieties topped even the Griddle Café on Sunset Blvd and novelty was on the par!
I’ve been to this place multiple times as I live nearby and will definitely going back even if I will move to West LA in the future. Although there has always been a wait, it’s always been a short one for me cause the small bar and patio areas are seated on a first come first serve basis. It took about 10 – 15 minutes when I was escorted to a seat by the waitress. I’ve never disliked any dishes I’ve tried so far but the rave reviews here will be about their specialty — PANCAKES and EGGS BENEDICT!!!
List of items I’ve tried so far:
On my previous visit, It took about more than 20 minutes for the waitress to arrive with three fluffy Green Tea Pancakes stacked on top of the other soaked in GT Tiramisu sauce and topped with a dollop of whipping cream and powdered sugar. The pancakes themselves weren’t overwhelmingly sweet, nor overwhelmingly strong Matcha flavored. The portions are definitely huge may be twice the size of my face. They were definitely generous in the amount of cream they served and it was very thick and sweet meaning that they must’ve used extremely heavy whipping cream or something similar rather than just can of whipping cream. Overall, Pancakes were worth eating but may have been better as dessert. I would recommend ordering them with an ice tea or coffee.(95/100)
My mom’s choice, Sky Diver was described as yummy bananas and chocolate chips in buttermilk pancakes topped with peanut butter and whipping cream. Three large pancakes heavily laden with bananas both in the batter and between the cakes plus some chocolate chips baked in were served with I can only guesstimate as a half cup of creamy peanut butter and equal amount of whipping cream. Despite my considerable sweet tooth, this dish was almost way too much. Along with Payard’s chocolate and Nutella Waffle, Bouchon’s French Toast, and the previously mentioned Griddle Café and Bongo. These were amongst the best sweet griddle prepped breakfast item ever — absolutely good enough to justify the drive to CiCi’s from anywhere within 2 hour radius. (⁹⁰⁄₁₀₀)
Cici’s Egg Benedict which consists of 2 poached eggs, Pesto Portobello mushroom and Buffalo Mozarella on a English muffin topped with their homemade Hollandaise sauce with the choice of scalloped potatoes on the side. I love everything on my plate… OMG, Scalloped potatoes were so good that I believe scalloped potatoes are my favorite kinds of potatoes. (⁹⁰⁄₁₀₀)
CIA Melting Club — Consists of Sliced Turkey Breast, Bacon, Tomatoes, Arugula, Avocado and Swiss Cheese with Basil Pesto on French Baguette. It was served with the side of French fries and two slices of Dill Pickle. There may have been too much Turkey as it was dominant taste, although Pesto Sauce was a nice touch. The Bacon was crispy not oily nor hard as rock. The French fries were nice to much on between bites of the sandwich, but definitely needed Salt. (⁸⁵⁄₁₀₀)
***Make sure to order their orange juice with your breakfast meal which taste like sunshine in your mouth.***
REALLY and also make sure to bring your own appetite as the portions are extremely huge which can easily serve for 2 people. PS. I am on the other hand, big guy and have no limitations or dignity to prevent myself from shoveling excessive amounts of foods into my mouth.

AN HONEST REVIEW:
My wife, son and I try to make it a point to try as many breakfast spots as we can. And while we have our handful or favorites, there are those that are simply more style than substance. In comes Cici’s.
My wife and I came in on a very chilly winter morning. We easily waited 45 minutes with not that many people ahead of us. From what i understand this is normal and most people are willing to wait. When we were finally seated, it was in front of the door. They tried to keep it closed, but someone was coming in or out every few seconds; no big deal. What WAS a big deal is that my wife was suffering from a cold. So I very kindly asked if we could be moved. My request was met with a very annoyed scowl and we were eventually moved.
Crowded, claustrophobic, rude, expensive… and worst of all, the food was such a major let down. How do you mess up a bacon and eggs dish with such bland, flavorless eggs? It’s the easiest part! And the pancakes were nothing to rave about. People praise their pancakes, but they must not have tried very many.
There are way too many great breakfast joints in the valley. Why anyone would waste their time here is beyond me.

I’ve been meaning to check out CiCi’s for a good while and finally did.
—Atmosphere, Service & Parking—
The café is about an average size, with seating indoors and a couple tables outside to enjoy… the busy streets of Ventura? Regardless it’s still nice. Although I’m no interior designer I did admire the tones of the walls which were nice with a few different earthy colors. There’s some pictures and some light fixtures around inside that finish off the modern café feel. I came during the week for my first time at lunch time and this place was packed! I guess it’s not just on the weekends when it is.
All in all service was fine, friendly, and kind. Servers seem to wear regular clothing which is cool. The one thing that did sort of confuse me was when we were asked about two or three times if we had been helped. Although that is super nice it’s also worrisome since organization must be key, and I’m sure this place has it locked down. We had drinks, our food was in the system, and/​or our original server was coming to ask for it and so it seemed a bit disorganized for the reasons of being asked multiple times.
Parking might be tough here, it seems a bit tight and they share a lot with some other businesses but it does have a decent amount of room; parking could be tight if you’re driving a big truck or suv. In fact someone had to move their truck to make room for someone to get by. Since it’s on Ventura you’ll find metered parking around as well.
—Food & Drinks—
It seems the breakfast fare is the most popular but they have some decent lunch items as well that all seem great! I know that pancakes, waffles, and all those huge breakfast items and dessert type items are the most popular and what they’re known for the most. They have 30+ types of pancakes, 10+ types of waffles, crepes, and french toast items as well. Omelets seem good here as they have several choices as well in which my friend chose from. I wasn’t feeling breakfastie at noon so I decided to opt for a lunch item. But darn it, I’m going back for those huge pancakes/​waffles and the like, either as the meal, dessert, or both! I was too full to have dessert this time.
I ordered the Say Steak which was tender char-​grilled New York steak cooked fresh & served with spinach, garlic, mushrooms & herb ravioli in a parmesan cream sauce and served with garlic herbed toast. The steak was nicely cooked but not salted or peppered which might have brought out some flavor. Regardless it was good, and went along quite nicely with that amazing ravioli. That cream sauce was too good! I devoured the whole thing and would def get this item again.
They have coffee, lattes, smoothies, iced tea, and hot teas to round out that café feel. Prices are about in the $ 10+ range.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Cici’s changed the GAME for pancakes!!! It’s probably a good thing that I live in Orange County otherwise I would be here every weekend for their pancakes.
The café is decent size but they really pack in the tables so it seems a little claustrophobic at times and their service can be a bit slow since there is sooooo many people that come here, but honestly the food makes up for it and then some.
My favorite pancakes were the banoffee pancakes which is red velvet topped with mascarpone, whipped cream, crushed Oreos, and other deliciousness. The pancakes are HUGE and have an almost cake like consistency but not too dense– light enough to literally melt in your mouth. My friend had their green tea pancakes which she raved about and my bf had their eggs Benedict which he said was super bomb. I’ve also tried their peanut butter and banana pancakes which were also freaking amazing. Their pancake list is super extensive so I will continue to keep coming back with my life goal of trying each pancake on their menu at least once :)

I live down the street but have never been here cause it’s always packed and I’m to impatient to wait, but my friend was visiting and she loves breakfast so I figured I would take her here. We came on a Friday morning and it was still busy but the wait was only a couple minutes. Now I know why there’s so many people, the food is delicious and the service is excellent. Our waitress was so sweet and attentive!
I ordered the shrimp pesto scramble, sounds a little weird but it was sooo good! Big chunks of shrimp, asparagus, onion and a really good pesto sauce. My friend got the eggs Benedict and said it was really good. We both left satisfied. I’ll be back, I wouldn’t even mind waiting.

arrived an hour before losing on a Saturday! it was about 3pm after my boyfriend and I went on a 7mile hike that took 3 hours. literally felt like forever and as if I wasn’t going to get my brunch. but, we made it! we were seated within minutes because it didn’t seem too occupied.
we have been on a pancake spree lately, so it was our determination to obtain the classic tiramisu pancakes. that’s exactly what we did and we ordered a scramble? and a blueberry banana smoothie. the smoothie wasn’t too sweet and you can taste the fresh fruits that are used. we ignored the scramble and dove right into the pancakes (per usual now). these pancakes were HUGE! compared to the other places we’ve had pancakes recently. they were heavenly!’ I don’t know if it’s because we were both fasting until 3pm and after our hike, that we were both dying of hunger. OR they were just that good. either way… within minutes they were immediately demolished! SO GOOD. then we dug into the the scramble, since we needed some balance within our bodies. it was good too! overall, definitely going to come back soon! maybe it’s bad that I live so close to this brunch place. so worth it!

Some of the best service I think I’ve ever had located in Tarzana California they have an unbelievable menu with some of the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten. I highly recommend it. This hi paced service-​oriented atmosphere makes the quality of food worthy of the combination of both sensibility and high quality ingredients a winner. A great place to eat with the person you love.
says: How do you say yes in Spanish to great American café cuisine, CiCi!
Matthew Gregory

I came in on New Years Day and this place was crazy packed. The atmosphere was so full of life. Definitely not the place for a peaceful, quiet brunch outing. Kudos to the nice lady who came out to the waiting area and provided all the hungry anticipants with warm, savory samples of their perfectly carmelized, fluffy french toast. It gave everyone something to look forward to. (Do expect to wait at least half an hour or more)
The menu has a **VAST** selection of unique, signature pancake and french toast creations, breakfast platters, omelettes, sandwhiches, salads, and brewed beverages (brownie points for having Thai Iced Tea on the menu).
I went with fellow Unilocalers’ majority vote and ordered the Green Tea Tiramisu Pancakes and Benedict Salmon with Potatos. When I took my first bite into the Green Tea Pancakes, my face lit up like fireworks. The first thing you notice is its pillowy warm texture, then the rich exotic taste of green tea mixed into the batter itself. This angelic oeuvre has a deserving reputation. The Benedict with salmon was also a great choice. The smokey flavor and understated delicacy of the hollandaise harmonized well in this peppery dish.
I should also mention the good service. For a fairly small restaurant, there were alot of workers on hand — and they were all still super busy (and not to mention very easy on the eyes — LOL). I appreciated the attentiveness from what seemed to be the more experienced servers — our drinks never went below half full.
All in all, the food here lives up to the hype and is worth the wait, though it is very pricy. Their extensive menu gives you reasons to keep coming back to try more of their many creations (I’m looking at you, Nightrider Pancakes). A woman sitting next to me leaned over and said you could eat here everyday for a year, and still not have tried everything.

I can’t get over how amazing this place is! There are dozens of very creative combinations for pancakes, french toast and waffles… absolutely something for everyone.
I was a little overwhelmed picking what to eat — mostly because I wanted to try all of them! I opted for the Annie’s French Toast, which had peanut butter and banana. It was so delicious!
Be prepared to wait. It’s not a tiny place, but it’s not huge. The wait is worth it. The parking lot is small, but there was plenty of parking on the side streets behind the shopping center.
Amazing breakfast, tons of options, fresh coffee, great service… this place is a complete must go!

Came here for brunch last Sunday. We had a little bit of a wait, but not too bad because we were game to sit at the counter. Holy cow, what a menu! Too many choices for this Queen of Indecisiveness. I finally decided on the Huevos Tomatillos — which is like rancheros but with egg whites and with tomatillo sauce. It was very good and I was happy to have a little healthier option. My dining companion had the red velvet pancakes with chocolate marscapone and strawberries and they were a hit, but so big it made two meals.
There is a lot in the back as well as street parking. Prices are a little high but not that far off of LA prices.

Best breakfast spot in Los Angeles County.
I will NEVER say no to CiCi’s. Although the wait can get annoying sometimes, its truly the best breakfast you will have anywhere.
Honestly I don’t think there’s anything on the breakfast menu that isn’t exceptional. But, this place is more for food lovers than ambiance lovers. The place is located in a shopping center off Ventura with very few parking spots. It is small and cozy inside.
But…There is NO COMPARISON. During every visit I am conflicted in choosing a savory or sweet option. They have a very extensive menu, so every time I go I try something new. I love ordering a savory option (which they can make with egg whites per request) and sharing a sweet option with whomever I go with.
I have tried so many breakfast spots, and always compare them to CiCi’s, just like when ladies compare a new guy they may be dating to that one guy they could never get over. CiCi’s is the one you could never get over.
Do not even give it a second thought. The wait is well worth it.
PS. If you are a banana lover, check out the amazing pancakes they have with bananas in the batter.

CiCi’s is a tiny little place that is jam packed regardless of what day and time you go. Only open
Till 3:00 pm.
Be ready to wait in a long line to be seated. Once you are you are given a menu with a very extensive breakfast list. Tons of choices for specialty pancakes and French Toast.
Nutty Buddy A+
Sky Diver A+

Came here on a Sunday afternoon with a party of 8 and we put our name down and the guy at the front told us 30 minutes. 30 minutes had passed so we went inside to see how much longer our wait would be and looking at the wait list, we saw that they put us down as a table of 2. We told them that they got the party size wrong and the guy was completely defensive and told us that we were in the wrong. WTH?! And they continue to tell us that we will need to wait another 40 minutes or so. Another WTH!!!
Customer service is awful. I had heard such great things about this place but unfortunately, I won’t be going back. I believe that customer service is part of the dining experience. There are so many other breakfast/​brunch places that I can go to.

They should call this place the Pancake Factory considering their menu is stuffed with every major breakfast entrée under the sun. Perhaps one of the best breakfast joints in the Valley. Of course they have a plethora of pancakes to satisfy any appetite, whether it’s sweet or savory, but you won’t really go wrong with anything here. Eggs, omelettes, french toast… it all comes out amazingly good. I think their most favorite set of pancakes is the Tiramisu (or if you wanna switch it up you can get the Green Tea Tiramisu), which is a safe bet if it’s your first time coming here. If you’re a regular though and you want to challenge your taste buds, their eggs benedicts is a surprise hit. It’s made with a crust of english muffin topped with runny yolk and cheesy mushrooms, so good that my girlfriend and I usually end up splitting the entrée with a set of pancakes since they complement so well with everything else on their menu.
Judging from the other 1700 reviews, my opinion is really only lip service for the amazingness that is Cici’s, as it’s been a breakfast staple in the Valley for as long as I can remember. The only thing to watch out for is the crazy line and relative lack of parking in the strip mall it’s located in. Peak hours are typically weekend mornings with a typical wait of an hour (drastically less if you decide to sit at the bar instead). Still, if you want to steer clear of the daily breakfast-​hungry mob, you won’t wait longer than 15 minutes if you can spare time to come in during a weekday.
Great breakfast joint – even though I live in Sacramento, I make an effort to come here at least once every year.

Cici’s Café has one of the largest menu selection I’ve ever seen. It’s actually kind of overwhelming and difficult to pick because everything sounds so delicious. We arrived on a Saturday for lunch and there was a huge crowd outside. I brought my dog so we needed to sit outside. When we asked, we were pleasantly surprised to be told that the 4 outside tables are 1^st come 1^st served basis. We were able to sit down right away.
The service was really good. Several servers came outside often and they were all very nice and helpful. They even brought water for my little dog without me asking.
I had the infinity, which is a vegetarian scramble with cheese. The scramble was delicious and the portion was quite big. I got potatoes with mine and I couldn’t even finish half the potatoes. We also tried the green tea tiramisu pancakes. They were delicious and not overly sweet. They have such a large selection of pancakes so if I come back again, I would want to try a different one next time.
Parking can be tricky in the plaza. It gets packed because the lot is small. There is also a small lot in the back that’s really packed as well. You can try street parking as there’s plenty of those.

For what it’s worth, Cici’s is one of the ONLY cafes that truly caters to every individual taste.
FOOD/​DRINKS: I’ve made a couple of visits here already. I’ve tried the florentine, salmon, & steak benedicts. (Benedict ranking: Steak, salmon, florentine). Then I’ve tried a couple of the pancakes & French toast. If you want to really feel fall and be able in the whole Pumpkin everything ordeal, I’d definitely suggest the pumpkin french toast with cream cheese toppings! Huge punch of fall flavor in the first bite. Green tea pancakes is always a good idea. Tiramisu pancakes are for those with a mega sweet tooth! Also, you can never go wrong with a mocha ice blend & vanilla latte.
My ONE (or two) thing (s) about Cici’s is that their menu is 20pgs long & their insane pancake/​crêpe/​French toast creations can be so ridiculous and overpowered with flavor that it always seems overdone!
I mean really. What are your tastebuds even meant to be tasting under all of those toppings? Chances are you’ll probably forget there’s a pancake under all of that.
Heads up (s):
— Limited parking. It’s Ventura. Stay patient!
— Don’t be overwhelmed with the long wait unless it’s 45-​min, there are other cafes close by.
— Don’t mistake the servers’ busy manner for rudeness.

The best brunch food in this part of the Valley… and their selection is out of this world. I highly recommend the Chocobanae Crepes, which are red velvet crepes with chocolate cream and a thick strawberry sauce. The crepes looked and tasted like they had chocolate in them, not just cream on top. For all of the sweet ingredients, though, it wasn’t too sweet… which allowed me to happily scarf down the second half of this heaping helping.
Previously I had the Apple Roulette Pancake, which is very very sweet! Perhaps too sweet. It’s a huge apple pie pancake, with chunks of apple inside and caramel artistically strewn on top.
The Green Tea Tiramusu pancakes were very good, despite the green color (some would say puke green).

Recientemente descubrí este lugar. Es excelente para tomar desayuno. Los Huevos Benedict estan deliciosos. Recommended. Hasta puedes ver famosos tomando desayuno. :)

Paradise for a breakfast lover