We took our family of 10, 3 kids and a toddler, food was authentic and delicious! They brought out the kids food first, which was great kids ate their entire meall, our kids are picky eaters and they cleaned their plates! One had French toast, other two had pancakes with chocolate chips. Next time I would say easy on the chocolate chips, kids loved it but as parent a little chocolate in pancakes goes a long way. The rest of the food came out and it was excellent. Mexican Chorizo, Huevos Rancheros, Chile Quiles with the Skirt Steak, food was great! Served hot, some have spicy but can ask for not spice. Waiting time from order to serve was maybe 15-20 minutes. Their iced coffee Mocha is also excellent! My son in law said he wishes he and his family would've have gone to Carlo's Pancake House instead of Maple & Hash and they are/were regulars at M&H. read more

Stopped by for breakfast before heading back to my primary house and was pleasantly surprised by the incredible skilled I had. Homemade chorizo... Yes please! The eggs were absolutely perfect! That's quite the accomplishment as eggs are a true sign of a cook's ability. Next time I come to my 2nd home, I am making this place a staple to stop at. read more

Carlos specializes in Mexican breakfast. Which my wife loves. She normally eats lunch. Chilaquiles was especially good this morning. I am traditional breakfast eater. Ham, eggs, hash browns with whole wheat toast. Coffee and water. The staff were quick with refills and check out how it tastes. It's a beautiful restaurant. The bathrooms were clean and well stocked with paper goods. A nice touch that many places forget that makes a good impression on their customers. Would return to taste the half pineapple with yogurt and Hawaii fruit and granola. read more

Carlos Pancake House - Mexican breakfast. - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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Wow! Breakfast was outstanding! Chaquilles with green sauce and over easy eggs. My sides were potatoes and beans. Everything bursts with flavor. The beans had to be homemade, the green sauce was really good with a little spice. Eggs cooked perfectly with good runny yolks. To top off the great breakfasts really good coffee! You're on my bookmarked list! read more

Carlos Pancake House - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

First visit went at 6:00am. Website and yelp incorrect. Open at 7. (Sunday). Second visit ...Food excellent. Service excellent. Ambiance excellent. Eggs cooked perfectly. Best Belgium waffle ever. This will be a favorite place to take company and family. read more

Took my daughter here for breakfast prior to her volleyball game. Hostess was super nice and we were seated right away. The restaurant was spacious and lots of seating. Our waiter was super nice and tentative our needs. My daughter ordered the Carlos French Toast and I ordered the caliente skillet (sides were French toast and hash brown with onions and peppers). I love how this restaurant does not nickel and dime you for extras toppings). Everything was delicious! My daughter said the Carlos French toast was amazing. My skillet does not disappoint. Love the kick of spiciness. We would come back if she has another tournament in Crystal Lake. read more

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Service is atrocious! 20 minutes and no waiter still. The waiter did go to a table that just sat down but completely ignored our table. Eventually we walked out. read more

So glad they are open early to get a big meal to workout on Christmas Eve. Not even the Olympic is open yet. Wish more places where open early that has good food . read more

This is by far the BEST pancake house I've ever been to so far!! And very reasonably priced for the proportions they plate!! read more

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Great restaurant, very inexpensive, good food and service, very fast even in the morning, nice employees. 10/10 service and food easily. read more

Carlos Pancake House - Crepes, sausage, eggs, syrup, ~13$ - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Food and service always great. Love this place! Portions are large, right temperature. We have eaten breakfast and lunch here many times.

I was in Crystal Lake the other day and I was searching for a place to eat a late lunch. I wound up at Carlos Pancake House and it turned out to be a good choice. Walking distance from the Metra station in Crystal Lake, this restaurant has a menu that showcases Mexican dishes as well as typical American breakfast and lunch favorites. I stopped in on a weekday near the end of their lunch time (they close at 2PM). Upon entering, the first room looks like a folksy bar, and this was empty during my visit. The next room is the dining room, where only a pair of twosomes were dining when I popped in, so that was good news for me (social distancing!). I sat comfortably in my small booth, seemingly shielded from the rest of the world. TV's and music were playing simultaneously in the background. My server (he might be the owner too) was pleasant and efficient. I ordered the breakfast chimichanga and did not have to wait too long for my food to come out. This chimichanga is a fried burrito stuffed with potato, scrambled egg, ham, green pepper and onion, and topped by avocado and cheese. This dish comes with two sides, so I went with rice and beans (counts as one), and corn tortillas, accompanied by mild green salsa and sour cream. I ate every bite of this tasty, filling and reasonably priced lunch. read more

Great service and delicious food! Highly recommend to check out Carlos Pancake House.

We went hoping this place would be good but we were disappointed. My husband said his omelet was good. Otherwise the food was mediocre. I found my skillet bland and too greasy. The avocado was bruised and lots of brown spots and my husband disliked his cottage cheese so much he didn't touch it after the first bite. Staff were not very communicative and didn't say please pay up front and then the woman up front seemed like she was pulled in so many directions it was hard for her to man the front-taking orders, picking up dishes, handling payments, and seating people. read more

This used be one of my "go to" up until 2-3 months ago. In the last 2-3 months, the food and service have been terrible. One of my favorites was country fried steak especially the gravy. It seems they changed the recipe and now it's just ok. We stopped going because the restaurant no longer delivered anything special that set it apart from anyone else and the service gone down in quality as well. Today, we decided to give it another chance and were unfortunately disappointed even more than before. We were the only table and the food was not delivered all together, we had to ask for the remainder of the order and the quality and taste were mediocre at best. My friend's skillet was horrific. Cheese came in shredded clumps and not even melted. The cottage cheese was given in a foam to go container...really?! Our server was not attentive and disengaged. Not sure what happened to the restaurant in the past few months, but we will not be back and discourage others from eating there. Too bad, it used to be one of our favorites almost every week. read more

Unassuming exterior and no wait. Charming hand painted chairs at tables. Ordered the house made corn beef hash skillet , hash browns and 3 eggs over easy with second side fresh fruit. All of the fruit had flavor and seemed right off the field. . Around ten bucks. Huge. Wasn't expecting three eggs. Hubby had Country fried steak, scrambled eggs, hash browns and fruit. Gravy gross color (always is) hubby said it was delicious and exceeded his expectations. Son had 1 plain waffle (huge Belgian), 2 sausage patties and scrambled eggs. I got a soda. Total bill. $39 and I've got half my skillet in a box for later. I could see myself craving this corned beef hash. Sooooo good. DH & DS Husband even impressed and they don't even like corned beef hash. We decide we have to come back to try their lunch dishes. I bet their steak dishes amazing. One of best meals we have had and we are eating out several times a week. Great service. We had lovely waitress on her first day. Friendly. Fast. Check them out. We forgot to take picture of my food. read more

Carlos Pancake House - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Very nice place for breakfast and worth checking out. A lot of variety on the menu. My kids and I enjoyed the food. Service was great. Coffee was good. Prices were decent. Plates were huge. Definitely going to go back. Wish I had gone sooner. People rave about it. Now I see why. read more

Carlos Pancake House - Crepes, bacon, eggs, happy face pancake, side of fruit. - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Wish I would have tried this place sooner! I've been disappointed with the cafe across the street ever since they changed owners so this will definitely be our new go-to when in downtown Crystal Lake. The service at Carlos' was excellent. Every single time our sever passed our table he glanced over and made sure I wasn't needing anything. The owner also walks around chatting with guests and checking that the food was up to par. I ordered the Eggs Benedict and can honestly say this is was one of the better ones I've had. Thick cut juicy ham instead of Canadian bacon. Super creamy hollandaise, muffin was crispy and buttered. Very very yummy. My toddler had a cheeseburger off the kids menu that was gigantic. My only disappointment was that the menu shows a pic of seasoned fries and they were more of those thick cut steakhouse fries we are not a fan of. My daughter had chocolate chip pancakes that she loved. My only suggestion would be the the owner to install some light dimmers. The lighting in there is very much like hospital lighting. Also for covid wary....Nice barriers between tables and all staff were wearing masks. read more

Carlos Pancake House - Eggs Benedict - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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We love eating at Carlos. Judy is most always our waitress and gives outstanding service. Looking forward to dining at Carlos in 2025.

Liked the menu choices and the variety offered. Service was good and enjoyed the food. Will make a regular spot and be back.

Great breakfast spot. Super accommodating when our large group popped in with limited time to eat between hockey games. All of the food was delicious and fresh. Service was super friendly as well. Only wish it was closer to me! read more

For the second year in a row, my family of 5 went for our Christmas Day breakfast. We are so grateful for the staff for working on the holiday and for giving us the perfect meal to start our day. We hope this will be a tradition for many years to come. Food, ambience and staff is all amazing. Thank you to Carlos & your incredible team! read more

Carlos Pancake House - Chilaquiles - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Carlos panckae house - The best food Great food and friendly service. Welcoming atmosphere. I highly recommend this place. read more

Terrible breakfast!! 1- hash browns were nothing more than the scraps. 2- toast was not delivered until the food was finish. 3- waffle we order was burn not edible. 4- waiter never came by once to check if we needed refills. Today will be our last meal there. read more

So glad we found this place. My wife loves Mexican breakfast foods. This place did not disappoint. The service was fantastic. The food was amazing. My wife got a carnitas breakfast burrito and she loved every bite. It had great flavor and was filling. I got the two eggs with one green sauce and one red sauce and it was amazing. The breakfast potatoes were fantastic. I highly recommend this place. read more

Carlos Pancake House - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

All I can say is YUM! We enjoyed the chilaquiles, cactus scramble and the French toast. The red sauce! Get the red sauce! Spicy but SO flavorful. Tip...sit by the windows and enjoy the view of downtown Crystal lake. read more

Carlos Pancake House - Chilaquiles - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

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Carlos Pancake House just opened in downtown Crystal Lake. It adds a great option to the already popular downtown CL area! Found it on Yelp when I was searching for new breakfast/brunch restaurants. The Yelp rating wasn't too good but I still wanted to give it a shot! The interior is adorable and clean! Breakfast is my favorite meal and when you throw in Mexican breakfast it's just that much better! Most breakfast restaurants have chilaquiles on their menu but are most of the time mediocre. Carlos' has a bunch of Mexican breakfast options! I got the chilaquiles because the waiter suggested it and my husband got the fresh cactus (nopales) scramble. We split half and half and both meals were delicious! They both came with pancakes or French toast which you never find at other places. We got one of each. I liked the pancakes better than the French toast but both were good. I can't wait to come back and try the skillets! I saw someone at another table with one and it looked delicious! Highly recommend. read more

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I went here for the first time on Friday to meet a friend for breakfast, and I was NOT disappointed! I ordered the breakfast chimichanga, which was packed with flavor and was a HUGE portion! And the best and most important part (for me) is that it was nice and crispy! The hash browns were killer, and the side of French toast was tasty as well. There was SO MUCH FOOD! Our waitress was helpful and friendly, and the food came out very quickly. read more

Carlos Pancake House - Breakfast chimichanga, hash browns, and French toast...soooo good! - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

I went here today and had a FANTASTIC breakfast with some family from out of town. I got the fried chimichanga breakfast burrito and it was out of this world!!! Wonderful staff had courteous service and the restaurant was clean and had a great atmosphere. All four of us were happy with the service and with what we ordered. Kinda funny one of my friends said...it's kinda weird seeing pancakes next to Mexican food. My answer...That's how us Mexican's grew up...with this eclectic mix of both cultures. Best of both! I can see having margaritas and more at this location. I can't wait to see what more they have in store for the area. It's always nice to see a place like this do well and they deserve it. I highly recommend this place for people to go. read more

Carlos Pancake House - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

I so badly wanted to make this place our regular breakfast spot but after being there three times in the last month and a half, I don't think anything is going to change. Every time we've visited has been on a Sunday morning they are always completely understaffed. It's always taken at least 10 or 15 minutes just to get our drink order in. Each time we've ordered, the server always gives us a warning that the kitchen is very backed up and food will take a while and they are not kidding. I think my biggest complaint has to be the fact that they don't even carry hashbrowns even though it is listed on the menu. What you will get is mashed potatoes which they try to crisp up on the grill but by the time he gets to your table it's just a pile of mush. The pro's; The place inside is pretty nice. Better than most pancake houses. They just need to get some of the food right and the service and experience needs to improve. Hopefully they do because I really believe this place has potential. They do have good chilaquiles and some decent Mexican breakfasts but for the classics, I would visit a different spot. The food is decently priced most items are in the $9 to $11 range. read more

Great food, wide selection, house made corned beef hash, large portions and great service!

First time trying CPH and was very disappointed. I'm giving a slightly higher rating because the menu is very good - lots of great options! However, the service was abysmal. 15 minute wait times between server visits had us waiting with empty waters and coffee often. They brought our daughters pancakes out 15 minutes before the rest of our food? Didn't bring utensils. I asked 3 staff members that walked by for them so she could at least start eating. Finally I got up and grabbed who appeared to be the manager and he quickly brought us utensils. At this points the toppings on our daughters pancakes had melted and started to look like someone sat on them. We never saw our server until she picked up the bill. I always will tip heavy because I want to support local business and those in service industry but feel like I need to share the experience here. We may try again but likely will stick with cafe Olympic. read more

Food and service were excellent. Highly recommend eggs Benedict and breakfast tacos. The ambience was authentic Mexican.

Waited 35 mins and never received our beverages. We finally flagged someone down who told us they couldn't help because they had their own table. The food here is great but service is always lacking. We walked out and they immediately sat someone at our table. Wow. It took 10 minutes to flag someone down to even take our order. read more

Great food friendly service clean and welcoming atmosphere. We went out for something different and ended up at Carlos Pancake House. I had a breakfast burrito and my wife had the tamale breakfast. It was great and priced accordingly. I highly recommend this place go and have a great experience read more

Egg skillet pick four delicious, go hungry.Each bite was better than the next. You won't be sorry. Very friendly and efficient. read more

Carlos Pancake House - egg skillet pick four, sausage , bacon, mushrooms, cheese . 3 scrambled eggs. French toast potatoes. Y - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

Truly a hidden gem in DTCL! Second time here!Wonderful food! Properly seasoned, balanced and perfectly crafted! Compared to other establishments in the area food isn't greasy and the sides can be mixed and matched. The variety of food on the menu can be perfectly paired despite mix of American traditional and Mexican traditional. Great attentive service, &well versed staff with the menu for dietary limitations. Will definitely be back! read more

Carlos Pancake House - Andrea's Vegan Skillet - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois

In our group: Huevos rancheros were mediocre. Omelette was dry. French toast was good. Service was slow. And we all agreed we were smelling sewer gas at times. Sad. We really wanted this place to be as good as the previous reviews read more

The portions are very large and you get an amazing basic breakfast. The menu is inclusive of vegetarian options and the waitstaff is attentive. The restaurant itself is quite large and accommodating with a diner style. Great option for a filling, basic breakfast. read more

everything was amazing 10/10 . Definitely recommend trying it out. quick and kind service, food was AMAZING read more

Carlos Pancake House - Mexican Near Me - Crystal Lake, Illinois