So first off, every table in this little diner like restaurant was pretty packed. I took a seat at the counter where a helpful server got my OJ and water quickly. Then the server who would take care of me stopped by to make sure I knew about the specials for the day...and there were a lot of them. I selected the cinnamon swirl French toast with applesauce. I definitely made a good choice. It was downright delicious. Not too sweet and the whipped butter that came with it gave it just a perfect hint of savory flavor. Then there was that server. She was one of the best and most attentive servers I have ever had without being pushy or overbearing as some can be. I gave her a nice tip and told her she was fantastic and a true asset to the restaurant. I let the owner know that too as I paid my bill. I rarely get to Buellton, but I would gladly return the next time I stop there. read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Cinnamon swirl French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California

Stopped for breakfast yesterday and it was a full house. Sam was our amazing server and what a joyful and happy person. My wife had hot water and eggs over medium with toast and I had the Country fried steak with hashbrowns and toast. I shared the hashbrowns with my wife. I also had a coffee and orange juice. The coffee was a bit weak but the service overall is what shined bright. Recommended read more

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Easily the best omelette I've ever had. And I've had a lot. The chile relleno with egg whites. And sour dough toast. The jam selection is amazing. The waitress was great too. My friends had the Reuben sandwhich and the danish pancakes with sausage. Both were surprisingly good. Definitely worth a stop off the highway! read more

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I love Ellen's. It is my favorite breakfast location in the area (I'm local). I usually order the pancakes on the specials board. The strawberry pancakes are so good! Service is amazing. Prices are a little high but worth it on special occasions. read more

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Ample parking, friendly staff, cozy old-school setting with red-checkered tablecloths, and just about every condiment you could want already sitting on the table. The menu is simple, which is fine--until you see the prices. $23 for an omelette. $15 for a side of bacon. $11 for ONE biscuit and gravy. OMG. The place was pretty busy, so naturally I thought, Well, it must be good. Nope. The food was completely underwhelming, especially at these prices. Before anyone starts with the "go back to McDonald's if you can't afford it" comments--I did. And by doing so, I saved myself a car payment. There's nothing wrong with charging premium prices if you're serving premium food. This wasn't premium food. It was an expensive breakfast in a cute setting. See photos. They can do the rest of the talking. read more

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The food was ok. My husband and I got the chicken fried steak & eggs w/ potatoes & sour dough toast. We would have like the steak to be seasoned. It was not seasoned and the breading on the steak was a little well done. I will say that the servers are attentive and it wasn't as packed as it usually is for a Saturday. read more

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We were in the area again today & tried the Danish Sausage Pancakes. They were good, with more sausage than I cared for, but luckily my husband was more than happy to finish the sausage I was too full to eat. The ambience is old school diner, which we love & the service was spot on. read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Danish Sausage pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California

Another wonderful.visit to Ellen's. Food and service are excellent. The menu is extensive AND they have daily specials! Today I had the Chili Verde Omelet, a special only offered once a month. OMG so good. Omelet itself waa very fluffy, cooked just right. The Chili Verde was integrated into the omelet and on top. Definitely some of the best Chili Verde I have had! It was so huge, my husband helped to finish! I had a side of fruit instead of potatoes. Toast was great with their homemade jams. My husband ordered his usual (almost anywhere we go too!), Scambled eggs with bacon and hash browns. Four stripes of bacon and excellent bacon. The basket if housemade salsa are so good. Complimented the eggs. Of course we bought bottles of jams to take with us as we do with each visit! I took pics of the menu as most of menu pics on Yelp are old. Parking is easy. A smaller lot next to the restaurant but plenty of stret parking. Thanks for another enjoyable breakfast! read more

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I've heard about this place and had to try. Took my family as we were passing through. When we arrived it looked like a small diner. Typical noise as expected. The service was great. Someone was always around when we needed something. The food was excellent. Hot and ready. We shared two meals and it was plenty between three of us. read more

While in town for the Santa Barbara half marathon, we decided to try something new. This place is very comfortable, with old time charm. The service very attentive and food was really good. We like to try new places that are not normal chain restaurants. I would recommend and try something new! read more

Spent weekend in Carpinteria and we're heading north. Stopped for breakfast and had crepes and sausage with side of bacon. All the food was good, they answered all my questions very cheerfully and the food came out super fast. Lots of condiments on table and bonus of home made jellies and salsa. Nice neighborhood vibe cafe. Would stop by here again. read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Danish pancake with sausage (1 order spilt into 2 portions), side order of bacon and homemade salsas and jellies. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California

Came in today around 11 a.m. Sam and Jenny greeted us at the door. Gave us a lovely table for four, then they were kind enough to allow to move to another table for six due to our friends, decided to join us at the last minute. The hospitality and their generosity is totally amazing. I feel like they treat everyone with that VIP service. these two ladies definitely make a great team. The owner John is always a pleasure to talk to. The food is consistent and it's pretty solid. Always fresh made to order. The prices are just right and the portions are incredible.. The omelette was crazy delicious and good enough to share with two people. The French dip was cooked to perfection and the fried chicken is always and I mean always my favorite. Chicken is never dry and the coleslaw was very tasty. If I lived closer, I'd probably eat here every day. These are the type staff that makes people come back to this establishment again and again. Keep up the great work we will return!!!!! read more

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Chile relleno omelet was amazing! So huge that I got two meals out of it. Service was exceptional!

Great gem we found for breakfast ! Good size portions! Biscuits & gravy thick & tasty, a good generous portion. The danish sausage omelette added a great flavor, along with the house potatoes with the grills onions....ahhhh very satisfying. Inside was a little stuffy but the staff were very friendly. Nothing like a great delicious food to start our day! read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Biscuits & Gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California

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We were going to have breakfast in Solvang at the Belgian Cafe, but the wait was too long. Drove ~12 minutes to Buellton. Ellen's is much more of a locals establishment than most places in Solvang. It has a small town feel where people bump into each other (highly unlikely in a busy tourist spot). Food was excellent. I had french toast (which was made with sourdough, not the usual Brioche), and wife had eggs and a waffle. I absolutely loved their salsas and jams, and how they bring a 'sampler box'. I think most are made in-house, except for their green salsa. This according to our amazing server. There was plenty of staff , so getting water or coffee refills never took long. The one downside is parking. If the street parking on that side is full, you might have to park at the now-shuttered Anderson Pea Soup. We had to do that and then cross the major street. But then again, we really needed the steps after that breakfast!! read more

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Excellent waffle. Crispy and flavorful- it hit the spot. Bacon was nice and crispy. Looks like a real local hangout. Service was excellent. The jams and salsas were stellar and were delicious on the food. Hubby had the sourdough French toast which were ok. I'd prefer having it on regular bread. I think this might become my favorite breakfast place in the area. read more

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Great breakfast spot, one of the highlights of our trip. Seated quickly by a very friendly waitress and had our food out in front of us less than 10 minutes after we walked in the door. Everything was great but the hash browns were top tier, definitely a sleeper when compared to all the other great food. They also have a solid hot chocolate, close second to the spot I used to go to in State College PA, which is a huge compliment, The jam selection was also a nice touch, all of them really good and an incentive to get toast with your breakfast. Classic Americana diner ambiance and very clean. My only regret was only coming here once on our trip. read more

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We stopped in for Thanksgiving breakfast and this place was really cute! Really large portions so don't worry about leaving hungry. I love the homemade jam and salsa offered on the table. I had the western omelette and my kids had the SpongeBob French toast. Our waitress was kind and helpful. Definitely worth a visit for breakfast if you are in the area read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Western omelette with cheese and hashbrowns - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California

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Called ahead and was so glad to find out they were open on New Years Day as most places in Solvang were closed. We arrived just shortly after they opened around 830am and was warmly greeted at the door. The place was not busy at all with only a couple small tables and one big table in use. As this was our first time to Buellton/Solvang we wanted to try the Danish local fare. We got the early morning special (ends at 9am so we were super lucky) which included pancakes (we chose the Danish), 2 eggs, 2 bacon and a coffee. I also opted to try the Danish sausage on the side as well. Let me tell you the Danish pancake reminded me a crepe but better as it was nice and soft with a hint of vanilla and sweetness. Not to mention the bacon was a decent size thickness cooked to perfection. Not too salty and just the right amount of crisp. The Danish sausage being different than any other kind of sausage I have tried. Forgot to ask if it is done in house, but it had a very nice crisp and taste including a very fine ground meat. Overall was very satisfied with the meal. Service was very attentive, and the waitress was very nice. Glad we came when we did as when we started to get up and leave more and more folks were coming in and tables filling up quick. read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Danish sausage - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California

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Not too shabby! Entertaining kids entrees. Felt and tasted like a country style diner would. read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Country fried chicken - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California

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Friendly service, great portions, good food. Classic interior. At grandmas house vibes. Cinnamon role is phenomenal.

Pricey place!! Holy moly it was cheaper to eat in solvang. Most of the menu items with meat were $22. Portions are generous but $22 is steep. 3 of us opted to get a bagel and cream cheese with coffee, both items at $4.95 - yep coffee and bagel were the same price, and my mom got the cinnamon roll. My dad did order the danish pancake, no meat. Breakfast for 4, came to $67.40. Ouch. We should've stayed in Solvang where my pancake combo was$15 read more

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Ellen's is a popular breakfast and lunch spot for the locals in Buellton. We went on a Saturday morning with a large group. The staff was great and found us a table right away. The service is friendly, professional, and quick. The food can out quickly and d was very good overall. The biscuits and gravy were a big hit. I had the chicken fried steak which was ok. The eggs were cooked to perfection and the hash browns were fantastic. The flavor of the chicken fried steak was odd. It had a bit of a sour taste. But maybe it was the Danish way? Everyone else loved their meals though. I would definitely go back and try something else. read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Chicken Fried Steak - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California

Planned on going to Paula's pancake house in Solvang but the wait was over an hour so instead decided to try Ellen's because it had no wait. This was a very cute and cozy diner with very sweet workers there. They had a little basket of different jams at your table which my husband and I loved since it's fun trying out all the different jams. We particularly liked the blackberry jam! As for the food, we got an assortment of Ellen's meal with danish sausage (it came with toast, hash browns, and two eggs), danish pancakes, kid's Mickey pancake meal, oatmeal, and side of bacon. The danish pancakes were nice and thin, a little easier to eat than more dense American pancakes in my opinion. We also enjoyed the hash browns. The rest of the food was okay, nothing special. My husband loves different flavored sausages and unfortunately we were not a fan of the danish sausage. I ordered green tea and it was nice that they give you your individual kettle to refill. Overall it was a nice meal where I could find food to feed my toddler and less than one year old. However, the food overall was just okay and the prices were much higher than I would want to pay for regular, straightforward breakfast food. With that being said, if you are wanting to have a sit down breakfast and want to avoid the long waits/lines in Solvang, this is an option to consider! read more

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Great old school place. Had the pancakes and they were awesome. Great service. I will be back for their biscuits and gravy. read more

Service was good. Special of the day pancakes and French toast were just ok. Maybe the Danish (thinner) pancakes were better.

Oh yeah. First, the portions are fucking huge. I got pancakes and a montecresto sandwich, and I couldn't finish it. Not to mention, it was delicious. For the price, what a deal. Service was above average, and the ambiance was very cozy. Please come here for the comically large sizes tho read more

Came in on a Monday at 8AM and cannot believe this gem doesn't have more stars! So I had to give them props for such tasty food and great service My family and I chose not to dirty our kitchen setup at Flying Flags and walked over to Ellen's on our final day of vacation. So glad we gave this place a try. The service is amazing. The team here is very friendly and takes care of each table. The food is probably the best diner style breakfast I've had. The meal was not greasy and you can tell they use high quality of the ingredients. I have to recommend the Danish Sausage for anyone seeking a mild, herby flavor with their eggs and hash. And the whole place is super cute and clean. Well taken care of. We definately will be sure to come back on our next trip out here. Thanks Ellen's! read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Devoured short stack ... so delicious we got the pic a little late - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California

Always stop for pancakes here thin and tasty... today we had blueberry crepe style pancakes Regular badass Swedish style bacon, Swedish sausage .... Mmmn mmmnmm read more

Homey diner. I often stay the night in Buellton while traveling on the 101, and Ellen's is my go-to breakfast spot. The owner is often sitting in the far corner making conversation with the patrons, and the servers have been there for years. The dish to get is the Danish pancake with fresh fruit -- strawberries when they are in season and blueberries other times. Skip the whipped cream (which is layered on as a special). The pancakes are light and sweet, a little thicker than a crepe, and complemented by a bite into the fruit as you go. read more

Here;s a place to get lotsa food for your money. I recently got the Denver Omelet with Danish sausage on the side. Got three meals from it. Locals know it is a great place for breakfast... and you often see CHIPS and Deputies there, a good sign. read more

Came in and was warmly welcomed by Sam ; immediately she set the tone for my visit. I genuinely enjoyed my experience at Ellen's, thanks to her kind & genuine hospitality. I was craving an omelette and love asking for recommendations; both the staff's personal favorite & the most-ordered dish by regulars. Sam didn't hesitate to help! She brought me jam for my sourdough toast and salsa for my chile relleno omelette, which already came topped with a flavorful, robust homemade salsa. My ultimate favorite thing was how hot my omelette stayed throughout .. so full of flavor and absolutely delicious. I also forgot to mention the best part; the homemade jam. They have blackberry, strawberry, apricot, and I believe one more... all so delicious. And yes, it's true what other reviewers say about the hashbrowns .... they're a bit dough-like, but in that homemade, old-school, country-style kind of way. It's giving nostalgic and comforting. Sam was so attentive; refilled my coffee twice and even brought the pot over to offer a third refill. Slay, queen. Something small but sweet I noticed was their security system saying "front door." Heaven is in the small details; it made my heart smile. Like ... chica!! It's serving homey vibes, like when a family member walks in the door. For my first visit, I paid before finishing my meal just to get a sense of how the service would be, and honestly ; honestly, so refreshing. Sam was kind, thoughtful, and attentive the whole way through. I left with a full heart ***and stomach*** Definitely coming back on Sunday for the chilaquiles that Sam recommended. A place I'll be returning to again and again. Thank you, Sam, for making my first visit to Ellen's such a pleasant one. read more

It's hard to get past the sticker shock of every menu item but once we did, we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at Ellen's. However we needed lunch on a very busy day during the holiday break when Solvang was packed, so Ellen's ended up being the right spot for us. They closed at 2, so we were a little worried rolling in at 1:10, but it turns out that was no problem. At least 4 parties arrived after we did and zero eyes were rolling or loud sighs were heard. In fact, the servers were both very friendly and attentive. The food was very good, and we all agreed afterward that the prices were probably just shocking due to the feeling of being in a time warp when you walk into the restaurant. They deserve to charge whatever they need to keep their small business open and folks paid. Final note: do yourself a favor and order a side of toast so you can try their delicious jams!! Strawberry was my favorite read more

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We ordered the danish sausage breakfast which to our surprise came with a danish pancake - so thin, so light and delicious! Our second order was a daily special (always look at the board for something new) - chorizo scramble - I ordered it with a biscuit with gravy - it was huge!!! You really get a bang for your buck at Ellen's! The service was wonderful and friendly, our water and coffees were never empty. Just be prepared to wait a little bit as everything is made from scratch but you can taste the love. Can't recommend this place enough. Thank you, Ellen's team! read more

This food was delicious! I came here with my family for the first time and everyone was friendly and welcoming:) I don't usually like pancakes but the danish pancakes they serve here are 10/10, if your visiting I definitely recommend coming to this place! read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California

Always a stop for us while we travel north for breakfast or lunch, this place is a must for great comfort food. Offering house made sausages and a variety of different international pancakes and crepes. I have to say they have the best hash browns I have ever had, everything on the menu is delizioso. Love their house made jams also available for purchase. The servers are always happy and smiling, food comes out hot and plentiful. You won't be disappointed nor will you leave hungry, a favorite amongst the local ranchers and farmers and the coffee is always good. Make sure you stop in and try the food while traveling through Buellton Solvang area. Bon appetitto! read more

Stopped for breakfast on way back home. What a gem of a place! Friendly and fast service. Food was great. Wait staff were very attentive. Definitely stop again. read more

I get that this place is a staple in the valley and all but i was thoroughly shocked when i went to breakfast this morning. I got a ham and cheese omelette and my girlfriend got scrambled eggs and added bacon and avocado. Food was completely fine, exactly what you would expect for standard diner food... then I went to pay.... SEVENTY DOLLARS!!!! (Not including tip) I have no clue who decided it was acceptable to charge 35 dollars for a ham and cheese omelette or scrambled eggs but it's completely unacceptable. They need to be told this is egregious. And before I get a reply about how the economy is tough or anything, consider I can go to Longhorn twice with two for 70$. read more

Ellen's is still a great place to get the traditional Danish pancakes or sausages for which Solvang is known. The servers at Ellen's are consistently nicer than those at Paul's, although Paul's are polite enough. Ellen's is typically less crowded than Paula's as it is not on the main strip in Solvang and rather is across the freeway. If you go early in the morning Ellen's is typically quiet up average noise level ambiance. It has red and white checkered vinyl table cloths for the country diner feel. On this visit we got the eggs, toast, and hash browns breakfast and the strawberry Danish pancakes. Contrary to popular thought, egg preparation does impact quality and Ellen's consistently has fluffy buttery eggs that are most likely made with cream--they are most definitely bad for you but taste awesome. The hash browns were fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside and buttery all like they are supposed to be when made well. The Danish pancakes tend to be dry, but with the generous amount of strawberries both on the plate and rolled in the pancakes and the whipped cream, the strawberry Danish pancakes are probably the best Danish pancakes we have had in Solvang. We definitely recommend getting them if strawberries are in season during your visit. Overall, 4 stars is about right due to rising prices vs. quantity of the items you get and because quality does vary at Ellen's (also at Paula's too). However, Ellen's is still a great place and preferable to Paula's for the Danish pancake and sausage Solvang experience. We definitely recommend giving them a try. read more

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The food was good. Basic diner style breakfast. Solid . Great local spot. I like the pancakes and sausages. The coffee was not that great. read more

Ellen's Danish Pancake House - Ellen's danish - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Buellton, California