iCrave

I didn’t expect their liege waffles to taste like the real thing but it did and they were good.
Milk tea on the other hand, I would walk down the street to Wonderful Foods or Tea Way. Not that it was bad but it’s not as good as the ones you can get down the street for less or the same price.
Come here for the waffles.

Located on the Outer Sunset strip along late night eateries and bars along with boba places galore, iCrave was another shop… until you try their Liege waffles and Pork Buns.
The Liege waffle is sweet, warm, and chewy with a slight crunch. What I knew about waffles were between an Eggo and a Belgium, which I now know as Brussels apart from the occasional Hong Kong or Pandan waffle, but that calls for a different story. We ordered a Liege Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich to share, and the only comment is that I can no longer eat a funnel cake; it’s that good.
Pork buns are not your typical crispy fried pieces, but a slow cooked soft and chewy version. A typical bun with picked daikon that adds contrast of flavors to the pork belly that is soft and melts in your mouth.
Milk tea I had was nothing special to the food I consumed, but it’s worth it to pig out at one location and not having to trek out to get a drink somewhere else.
The hours in which they provide food like pork buns and waffles are determined by their managers who apparently live close by, but make an effort to get their food. I know I was sad when I saw they closed down for a-​bit, but now they are opened and hopefully make their mark on the Outer Sunset strip.

It seems like just about every other shop sells milk tea on Irving. Still, I had to try out iCrave.
The milk tea ($ 2.75) is sweet and filled with boba. The cup is larger than most other places, so I guess it’s a pretty fair price. It also came out really quickly, which is a plus.
I also tried the liege waffle ($ 2.50) and it was okay. Having just had Bruxie’s liege waffle in Orange, CA, I guess I had too high of expectations. iCrave’s waffle was soft and doughy. It was nicely sweetened, but it seemed to be lacking that extra –umph of tastiness. My friend admitted that it’d probably be better with ice cream; so manybe next time.
The shop itself is pretty small, they do have a few tables though. It’s a decent option for dessert (and they serve a few savory entrée items as well).

I got the strawberry banana liege waffle with nutella and man was that thing good! I was hoping the waffle would be crispier but the flavor was still good overall. They do take a while to make these waffles so don’t expect it to be a quick trip if you’re in a rush.
I also ordered the milk tea there but that was more of a miss for me. I would stick to the crepes and liege waffles here and go somewhere else to get milk tea if you really wanted it.

I Love the ice cream milk tea. It reminds me of Q-Cup’s Q-​Floats. :) So sad they closed down but now I have a new place to go to!
I’ve also tried their:
Nutella, strawberry, banana waffle
Nutella, banana, whip crème waffle
Nutella & ice cream waffle
ALL were YUM! :) The waffles look small but one by itself is already filling! I like how they cook their waffles. Fluffy, soft, with a sugary crust on the outside. Just layers of yumminess all in one bite.
Each time I came here they ran out of the chocolate pudding boba milk tea drink. :(Hopefully this isn’t a permanent thing. They have a lot of interesting flavors here like red bean, apple green tea, and chrysanthemum. They also sell crepes here. But they are known for their bacon waffles. One of these days I will be adventurous enough to try it but for now, I like my desserts sweet. ;)
The owner and workers are all really nice. They play baseball one their flat screen tv and the shop is decorated nicely. They have cute posters and the room is lit well which is a plus for me. I just wonder why it’s so empty every time I come here. This dessert restaurant is great!
They are also open late! CASH ONLY tho.

iCrave desserts… a lot… like all the time… like right now…
I saw waffles on the Unilocal page so I had to go check it out! The waffle itself is actually really good. Slight crunch on the outside and soft and doughy on the inside. The waffle is sweet but not overly sweet so overall a really good waffle. Once you start throwing a bunch of crap on it like I did the second time I came here, it really takes away from the waffle itself.
Minimalist approach: waffle+powdered sugar
Hipster approach: «hmmm…I want the strawberry bacon maple waffle. Everything with bacon on it is better».
The bacon and junk waffle was good but all of the toppings overpowered the waffle. I love savory and sweet so this really hit the spot for me. The bacon is a thick cut bacon and when combined with the waffle and ice cream and maple syrup, sexinmouth
The milk tea is actually really good here too! I normally hate tapioca, I really mean HATE, but I actually like them here. There were super soft and not a hassle to chew on :)

Fast.
Ca$h only.
I’ve cut a lot of sugar out of my diet but every now and then. I have this hankering for boba that I just can’t squash.
Although I technically haven’t tried their tapioca, I am a fan of their iced milk with pudding.
It’s the drink I get at Half & Half in SoCal, the drink I would get at Purple Kow …
Here’s the thing. Half & Half is in SoCal. Purple Kow is disgustingly sweet and waiting in line for an hour is not my thing.
iCrave makes the drinks fresh, right when you order it. Although i have been getting iced milk, I’ve also ordered milk tea and mango coconut drinks for my friends. Mango coconut drink was blended with actual fruit and not syrups! Staff is also friendly, plus they are open late.
iCrave iced milk w/​pudding, so I go to iCrave.
Need to return for waffles.

My roommate and I had finished with dinner and needed to kill time before our bus came. I suggested trying this place out.
We ordered a s’mores waffle to share and added a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra dollar or something.
The waffle itself is really good. Belgian waffle type. Warm and sweet in a chewy caramel-​y way. The ice cream went really well with that for sure. The marshmallows on this waffle weren’t all melted so I didn’t really like the marshmallows (some were melted because of the waffle though).
That was a really good, decently priced waffle for sure and the service was quire nice so I do plan on coming back.

Not getting your moneys worth.
tried this place after they opened up for a few days/​weeks and I figured why not give it try.
I had ordered the Belgium waffle with kiwi and strawberries with whipped cream and it was not worth it. The waffle was made fresh but the portion was too small compared to the amount of toppings. Overall an okay place but you could make it at home fore the same price and get a whole lot more.

I wanted to take my Liège Waffle and go sit by the windmill at Ocean Beach — that’s how much this waffle reminded me of the waffles I’ve had in Belgium. The caramelized sugar edges were crispy without being hard and added a crunchy texture to the soft waffle. Nutella, as always, is the bestest with the dusting of powdered sugar, but the strawberry and banana as toppings were just ok. The staff really took their time making the waffle look pretty. Next time, try the bacon flavors.
The $ 1 Green Tea Ice Cream on the side was a bit disappointing. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, but there was another stronger flavor that reminded me of vanilla ice cream with the hint of green tea rather than actual green tea ice cream.
The waffles are pricey at $ 4 – 5 (2 or 3 toppings) for a dinky waffle in a paper tray (plates, please?), but the Liège Waffles are done right. There’s also sweet and savory crepes for similar prices, Pork Belly Buns for $ 3.25, and cheap $ 2 milk teas (neutered — no boba balls).

Coming from experience since I go to Belgium almost every other summer. This place’s waffles are near Belgian.
I’ve got to say these waffles, are almost authentic and way worth the money. The ice cream really adds to the quality of the waffle. It’s rich and creamy and worth the additional money. I had my waffle with Nutella, Strawberries, and Ice Cream. It looked a bit tiny at first but it really fills you up!

Stopped by iCrave and wanted to try their waffles because people have been talking about them. I ordered the waffle with powered sugar, strawberries & nutella. It was made fresh and it was delicious! Perfect dessert after my meal.
Came back again one afternoon and had the pork belly bun with daikon. Pretty impressed with the pork belly, it was tender and flavorful & the bun balanced the flavor out (not making it too salty). Definitely a yummy snack!

I hadn’t originally planned to drop by iCrave, but after wandering around Sunset a bit, and seeing everyone with their milk teas, it was hard to resist. And I won’t lie, I wanted to try the waffles, not having had a tasty liege waffle since I left Seattle.
I have mixed feelings about what they have on offer here though. We ended up ordering a strawberry, maple and bacon waffle ($ 5.50) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream ($ 1 extra), a pork belly with pickled daikon bun ($ 3, or two for $ 5), and a milk green tea ($ 2)
The way they serve milk tea is certainly novel: add as much as you want of the boba and jellies they have to offer, and they fill the rest with tea. Be warned though: the jellies are already quite sweet on their own, so it’d be prudent to ask them not to sweeten the milk tea as well, as they normally do. Without the sugar in the tea, you’ll immediately notice that they brew a very strong tea here — almost too strong, or steeped too long, as it tastes somewhat bitter as a result.
Their pork belly buns weren’t bad, tender and well-​cooked, but perhaps a bit overpriced at $ 3 (or even $ 2.50). This comes from someone who makes pork belly at home fairly often though, so take it with a grain of salt. And I believe it’s still cheaper than what Chairman Bao has to offer.
Their waffles, however, were quite tasty, and well-​worth coming in for (I’d probably give them a four if I had only tried this). True to the style of a liege waffle, they’re made with a slightly cakey batter, with sugar crystals inside that lend to a bit of a crunchy texture while chewing. And as for the particular one I ordered, the bacon and ice cream went together surprisingly well: the bacon was a bit too salty, which was offset nicely by the ice cream (which they were incredibly generous with). I’d recommend sharing with two or three others though, as it started to overwhelm me about ¹⁄₃ of the way in.
And, lastly, customer service here is excellent. Pretty friendly, and definitely focused on customer satisfaction — we didn’t know that the milk tea would be so sweet the first time, and they immediately offered to remake it for us without the added sugar!

I finally tried the other items on the menu, and let me tell you. this place is freakin’ awesome!
I came here with my boyfriend on a Friday night at around 10pm. Thank buddha iCrave was open because I was craving something sweet! My boyfriend ordered two pork belly buns with pickled daikon and a strawberry nutella waffle with ice cream. Again, the employees were really helpful and suggested what would taste best with the pork belly bun. The wait wasn’t too long for the two buns (about 5 – 10 minutes)
Pork belly bun with pickled daikon — Absolutely delicious! I’m not a big fan of piggies (except for bacon) so I was definitely surprised! The sweet and slightly tart flavor of the pickled daikon complemented the salty soft pork belly perfectly! The bun was nice and soft, too! The size was perfect at $ 2.99 each or $ 5 for 2.
Strawberry nutella waffle with vanilla ice cream — I definitely didn’t expect this waffle to be SO good. I thought it was going to be a plain waffle with strawberry, nutella and vanilla ice cream but boy was I wrong! The waffle is the reason why this dessert made me crave for more. They seem to sprinkle sugar crystals onto their waffles and the batter is perfectly crunchy and sweet! Such a nice combination. The HUGE scoop of ice cream is also nice!
I was craving more so I went with my sisters tonight and they loved it! The employees were SO friendly an even gave us a free water bottle lol. Under 5 bucks for a decent sized waffle with 3 toppings? Yes please!
Oh, and I’d also like to mention that someone came in craving taro milk tea and iCrave didnt’ have it on their menu. Instead of suggesting something on their menu, they directed the customer to Wonderful Foods Co so the customer could satisfy her craving. Pretty sweet if you ask me!
HIGHLY recommend this place!

I love desserts! That’s one of my constant cravings and this place hit the spot!
I came here one afternoon with my boyfriend since I was craving something sweet and we were in the area. I gotten the waffle with nutella and ice cream. The waffle was sugar crusted and I guess it’s suppose to be like the one you get when you hit up the slopes of Northstar (I never had those though). I must say, it was pretty good, I love anything with a crunch to it and this was both crunchy and sweet and of course everything is delicious with nutella.
My boyfriend got the pork belly buns, he said it was pretty similar to the chairman bao ones and had lots of pork.
I hope they’ll start to open later because I would totally go there for a midnight snack!

New spot on a dessert filled street!
awesome concepts and ideas here at iCrave. Awesome owners as well. Their waffles /​desserts are so good here and they’re priced perfectly.
I been wanting to try the pork belly bun too, keep it up!

iCrave: the not-​so-​creatively-​named dessert café with the crazy creative menu! I was really excited to see this empty storefront unexpectedly open offering
+ savory crepes, dessert waffles, pork belly buns, and teas/​milk teas
+ really down to earth friendly service by the owner (young, college-​age guy)
+ a clean and welcoming space: walls painted a warm orange, just a few tables to sit (perfect for some casual dates), and a flat screen on the wall
We must’ve looked a little overwhelmed by the menu listing every kind of waffle topping combo you can imagine, so the owner chatted with us and told us how he came up with bacon+chocolate+ strawberry waffle and the bacon+ maple + strawberry waffle. Helloooo how can I say no to bacon!
We got the bacon+maple+ strawberry waffle (extra $ 1 for the bacon, while all other waffles are a flat price). Plus $ 1 if you want a scoop of ice cream. The waffle was fresh, crispy on the outside and soft and chewy inside, the bacon was not crispy but gave it a salty, savory contrast to the maple syrup and sweet strawberries. It was like eating a perfect little open-​face sandwich. i LOVED it! It’s a small little waffle, great for sharing after eating a meal around Irving.
We also ordered a milk tea ($ 2) a great deal for a drink with unlimited self-​serve add-​ins:
+ grass jelly
+ mini bobas
+ exploding pearls
+ aloe vera jelly
+ all sorts of jellies
The milk tea was not too sweet, great black tea taste but definitely didn’t go well with most of the fruity-​flavored add-​ins. Our bad.
I can add another reason why I can never be fully-​vegetarian: kbbq… sushi…and now: bacon waffles.

iReally like their milk tea here, but what iLove the most is their Belgian Liege waffles. Not too many places in the city offer this, and theirs come with all sorts of toppings including lots of things that iLike — peanut butter, bananas, maple, and of course, bacon. iAdmit it can be a little pricey, but when iCrave, iPay.
iJONASAPPROVED!

There seems to be no end in sight for Bay Area eateries that start with «i»…iCreation, iSkewers, iDumpling, iYogurt, iPho, etc. iCrave, which takes over the old Wonderful Yogurt space, specializes in Belgian Liege waffles which you can customize with sweet and savory toppings like Nutella, fresh fruit, bacon, chocolate, whipped cream, spinach, roast beef, turkey, and peanut butter. They also have crepes, pork belly buns and boba drinks. With the boba drinks, they have a self-​serve drink add-​ins, including jellies, popping boba, small tapioca balls and large tapioca balls.
* Pork belly bun ($ 3.25)
: Reminded me of The Chairman’s buns. iCrave’s featured a thin steamed white bun topped with 2 thick pieces of warm pork belly marinated in a soy with sugar mixture and 4 thin slices pickled yellow daikon. The pork was a little salty but had a nice, homey flavor that reminded me of my grandmother’s recipe.
* Milk green tea ($ 1.99): The drink wasn’t creamy. It had tea flavor but was a bit bitter. The tapioca pearls were nice and chewy but very sweet. The drink was quite sweet. I like how they didn’t add that much ice.
I can still see the outline of fro-​yo machine spaces on the wall. The décor hasn’t changed much since Wonderful Yogurt.

«I just walked by and hadn’t seen this place before. When did you guys open?»
«We actually just opened today.»
«Oh! Well, congratulations!»
iCrave offers what seems to be the Irving Street staple — standard tea drinks (like Tea Way, you can customize with your choice of small or large tapioca, popping boba, and various jellies. Unlike Tea Way, you are not limited to the amount you scoop in) along with sweet and savory crêpe options and — their special — customizable liege waffles!
Service was pleasant, and my peach green tea was not bad at all, especially at only $ 1.99. My liege waffle was also pretty good — hot with nutella and fresh strawberries and banana.
Welcome to the neighborhood, iCrave, and hope you’re here to stay.
P. S. Pork Belly Buns are also on the menu — I’m trying those the next time I stop by!