Delicious breakfasts, egg dishes. Super professional staff. Great coffee. Quick service. Go here all the time. Love it.

The food portions are weird here. They give you tons of bacon, very little eggs, and everything is expensive for what it is, especially if you want it on the side. The "hash browns" are just warm slimy potato chunks. For a place that runs just on breakfast I was expecting a lot more, I got this consensus from the whole table, party of 3. The staff was the saving grace, I felt bad for our server for having to work at a lack-luster place. read more

I've been here a few times and I really order just a basic breakfast. But the people are very nice, and they keep the place clean which are just as important. My boyfriend gets the skillet and that's all he's always excited for! So we definitely recommend that option! read more

I realize this place is a chain, but they probably have the best breakfast in the city. My favorite is the bacon and eggs with pancakes and rye toast. Their pancakes are outstanding and everything else I've had there is also very good. read more

Service and food was good but have a hard time believing that a basic breakfast for two people was $44 before tip. Go somewhere else for breakfast! read more

This place is the definition of a classic breakfast diner. I've never had anything here that wasn't excellent, from very solid omelets to their amazing pancake creations, like the Dutch Oven and Baby Dutch. I'm particularly fond of their house-made corned beef hash, which is flavorful, meaty, and not the over-salted slop you get at some places that put no care into the dish. The service always is fast and super efficient, if not quite that "Hiya, Hon'' diner banter you see in movies. The food comes quickly, the coffee is always full, and I've never had an exception. read more

Been There Forever We had the blueberry and pecan pancakes. Both orders were moist, cooked perfectly and full of flavor. It is really nice to order pancakes and have them light and fluffy rather than the dense ones you usually get when eating out. The service was good the coffee was hot and the pancakes excellent. Easy to understand why this place has been there forever. read more

Great 80's vibe in here. I feel like I'm back on the block in my granny's house. Doilies on the plates. Stained glass decor. Total 80s. I sat at the bar today. The waitress seemed a little aloof and exhausted, but she was attentive nonetheless. The corned beef hash was incredibly dry, though. So dry. OMG. Dry. Dry like Egypt. Dry like arm pits fresh out the shower. Dry like uncooked oatmeal. It was so dry. So dry omg. The pancakes, however, were fantastic. I hate pancakes, but these pancakes were everything. All and all, I'll probably return, I ain't gon lie, except that i'll try something else next time. read more

Original Pancake House - Corned beef hash and eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best Pancakes love them me my husband and my mother in law and Father in law we love the pancakes so soft, especially for my mother. Everything was so easy for both of them to eat. OMG the grits just like my mom used to make me as kid Am 40 years old even better then mine next Vacation with all always visit again young lady took care me was wonder 8/21/21with glasses black Hair. Forgot her name read more

I've been frequenting The Original Pancake House since many years and I've never been disappointed. The portions are huge and are excellent value for money. The staff is friendly and the location is excellent. I've gotten the eggs multiple times and they have been excellent. The mushroom sauce that accompanies the omelets are excellent. I most recently got the meat lovers skillet and oh boy was it good. Lots of meat, excellently seasoned. Other than this I've gotten the spinach crepes, which also I highly recommend. Creamy, cheesy spinach inside thin flavorful crepes. A delight even if you eat meat. The chocolate chip pancakes are a huge portion, an overload, but you will finish it. All the food comes with toast or pancakes. Get the pancakes, they are very good. read more

My first time experience wasn't bad at all. I came during brunch time on a Friday. It's not crowded like other so it's not totally noisy. So here's my rating: Food Quality : 4 stars Price : 4 stars Ambiance : 4 stars Service : 3.5 stars (do not give the bill while the patron is still eating) Parking : moderate to difficult Menu choices : this is a "breakfast" place. Do not expect any sandwiches or soup. Overall: 4 stars read more

Original Pancake House - They use very good kind of meat. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This used to be a favorite place to go for breakfast. And it was always crowded. I could give it a high three stars, but I am being generous because it is a 30 year old traditional breakfast spot in Lincoln Park. Now I think it has become less popular, but the food still the same. Coffee is only so so but they gove you real cream. The pancakes however are the best I have ever had. There are four types that stand out for me. 1). The 49er Flap )acks, which are huge and thin, similar to Swedish Pancakes which they also offer here, but better, 2). The Apple Pancake: a signature pancake that is like a huge thick apple fritter cake, only baked instead of fried. You must order this right away because it takes about 40 minutes to cook. Delicious and super filling. 3). The German Pancake, also a signature dish. It is also huge, but thin, with a crunchy deep edge. It is covered in powdered sugar and lemon wedges come with it to squirt all over. This is my favorite. 4). Potato Pancakes, three to an order. These are not Jewish Latkes... they are American Potato Pancakes, which is a mix of potatoes, egg, flour, and sometimes onion. Great with sour cream and apple sauce. The place also has eggs, omelettes, and many other things, including lunch items. But the pancakes are what to go here for. And weekends are best because who wants to be one of three people in a huge room on a weekday. read more

Love this place it's definitely my go to breakfast restaurant so convenient as it's right around the corner from me the staff there is friendly even if you walk in at the last minute you won't feel rushed or anything!! The pancakes "of course" are the best thing there Love them I personally prefer the chocolate chip and blueberry and also prefer them in mini as they are very fulling Coffee is terrible though lol but it's okay The Dutch baby is another favorite of mine definitely recommend it!! read more

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My best friend took me here and it was right before they closed at three. We both order the same thing. French toast hash brown potatoes with cheddar cheese and turkey bacon and scramble eggs. The menu was great and had a lot of options for you to choose from the food was great they sat us at a two person table but we order a lot so they had to slide another table to hold all are food. They didn't bring out are food all at once and they really bother me but I understand as it was so busy they had no choice. read more

Ehhh the food was okay but horribly overpriced. And the pancake syrup was not maple.. at these prices I expected actual maple syrup not thickened sugar water.. the portions are fine but the coffee was mediocre and as everything, overpriced. Staff was fine, place was empty and we still waited for both service and our food. Won't be going back anytime soon, better food at better prices with better service available many other places.. expensive lesson learned.. read more

This episode of me finally checking out restaurants I pass everyday led me to Original Pancake House. First thing you'll notice is that when the weather gets nice, they bring out the patio dining. This is perfect for people watching on Diversey. But I have a fear of flies landing in my food, so indoors we went! The look of the restaurant is a pick me up in itself: open and airy with a gray and yellow color scheme that really brightens the place up. I've had some great servers here, they are friendly and attentive, making sure that my coffee cup didn't get precariously close to empty. I kept my breakfast simple - eggs and pancakes. I believe I ordered the two by four. Despite being basic, it was so good. The eggs were fluffy and plentiful. And the pancakes were buttery even before I put the butter on them. I enjoyed my meal, I enjoyed the oldies they were playing in the background, and I enjoyed my service so much that I may have went back two days later and did it all again! read more

Basic, solid breakfast comfort food. Not foo-foo fancy, just down-to-earth. Excellent pancakes, light and fluffy, not heavy like some places. Eggs - usual (how can one mess up eggs anyway)? Coffee average, but late in the day, probably been sitting around for a while. Hash browns are "Southern Style" - the one thing I didn't care for. Maybe it's just an acquired taste for us Yankees. Special notes: The senior (60+, Mon-Fri) specials are not shown on the plastic-coated menu they hand you but are on the website and the servers are aware of them. Excellent deal and just the right amount of food for me as a first meal of the day. Includes coffee. Definitely will return. read more

This place is great. I love the variety of pancakes, waffles, etc. that they offer. The food always tastes fresh and they don't use that cheap, nasty fruit compote some 'chain' places like to. They have fabulous blueberry pancakes. Some of the simpler items can be a bit pricey, but the food is really good. I also like that they're no longer cash only, that was a big hassle. read more

Loved my brunch experience today! I feel super paralyzed when picking a brunch spot in the Lakeview/Lincoln Park neighborhoods and this felt like such an easy choice. Right when I walked in I loved how large the waiting area was. All brunch places should have this since they know there's always a wait and it's too cold to wait outside. Luckily, there was no wait at 11:30 am on a Sunday. The space is so open and I love the gray and yellow decor. We both got omelettes and were very satisfied with our orders. I loved my spinach feta (they did not skimp on the feta!) with a side of toast and potatoes. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is our server. She was a bit off, we didn't get enough water refills, she put someone else's old iced tea on our neighboring table while she took our order and those people looked super confused. Everyone else at the front desk was great! read more

$11 for short stack of pancakes that aren't even that good. Server was nice. Atmosphere is sterile. Definitely don't recommend this place based on the quality and prices. read more

Even though they're not affiliated with Walker Brothers anymore- I swear it's the same recipes and is still just as good. I won't eat pancakes out anywhere else and I love that they continue to serve REAL maple syrup and not the fake stuff! read more

Original Pancake House - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'd been wanting to try this place for ages, but I'm usually never in this area before they close at 3pm... but today I was! I ordered a freshly squeezed orange juice and a cup of decaffeinated coffee. And after what seemed like a long while, the waitress brought me a mountainous plate of "apple pancakes"... only I hadn't ordered them. LOL But they did smell delicious and I'll most certainly try those next time. A few minutes later my sweet, apologetic waitress brought me my "cherry kijafa crêpes" which were magnificent (only I could taste that they were made on the same griddle as meat was recently prepared, so sensitive vegetarians or vegans should be aware of this). I would say they were worth the wait, but it was a very long wait. I do hope to give them another try someday to see if I'm put through a similar snafu. The friendliness of the staff helped ease the pain. read more

Very average and pricey. I got 2 eggs, 4 really skinny chicken sausages, and 3 pancakes (which I didn't eat) for $15. And they charge for coffee. I went home and ate a granola bar because I was still hungry. There are other places in the neighborhood that are much, much more generous with their breakfasts. read more

I see the menu I saw the prices and said Haaaa is kind of expensive So we order dollar silver pancakes side HB Scramble eggs & sausage patties & pancakes sm oj for my son Was really good Staff is nice & friendly We will back soon read more

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I have been to an OPH location back home in L.A., and was excited to find that they are out here as well! Finding the place (via driving) was really hard to do, and parking in the area is tough. We parked almost down to Fullerton and just walked. We've never experienced a wait here... The interior of this 'basement' restaurant was interesting and nothing like the one I've been to in L.A. However, the food is always good, good, good! I haven't really had any problems with the service here, and the cashiers have always been friendly as we walked out. Though, it might just be me, but one of the servers does seem a little bit creepy! read more

Have since been back and the coffee mishap seemed a one time deal. We sat at the communal table this time to avoid the wait and it was great, not super awkward and the table setup is nice there. Still stand by their pancakes as a must-order! Super fluffy and the butter adds just the right amount of saltiness to make it come alive. read more

My boyfriend and I stopped in here for a quick breakfast for some good food. Their omelets are HUGE, you definitely get what you're paying for and they're delicious. The oatmeal was the best I have ever had. I got the Apple cinnamon and the apples were fresh and crisp, perfect amount of cinnamon, I mean total WOW!! Come here for a great breakfast! 5 stars!! read more

I was excited this place opened. There are not a lot of close breakfast spots by the Landmark Century theater and the ones that were there closed. The positive - The Atmosphere. It's nice clean with color pictures on the walls and some interesting light fixtures. The food is decent and lots of choices. The Negative - The service. I ordered a steak omelette. My friend ordered an egg white omelette with vegetables. We also ordered coffee. My friend asked for a glass of ice. We didn't receive sugar or sweetness for the coffee so my friend had to pull some out of her purse. She had to ask again for the glass of ice and sweetner. Our food came and her omelette was not egg white. We returned it. When the server returned she acted like she was surprised by the order and not the error. I ate half my food by the time my friend's omelette arrived. It was not done and there was an quarter inch of water on her plate. She returned it again. Finally the third time it came out done and fine. I had almost finished. I never received my side of pancakes until we asked the hostess AND our server. It finally came after our meal and I had no silverware. Just terrible. We expressed our displeasure with the waitress and the hostess several times. No manager showed up at our table until my friend specifically asked to speak to one. He didn't know what was wrong and literally said "what do you want me to do?" Then comped one meal. Pretty much acted like we were pains in the ass. Sorry 1. Get the order we placed right 2. Don't have one person complete their meal while you get the one right 3. Deliver the sides on time. 4. Have a manager come over immediately when something is wrong. I'm hoping this is just opening jitters. read more

I rarely let service impact my reviews this much, but the service at the Original Pancake House was subpar. We came here Sunday morning with a party of 4 and only waited about 15 minutes before getting seated. This is where it all went downhill - we ordered our meals and it took about 25 minutes for it to come. When our food did come, two of the orders were wrong - I had asked for over easy eggs, but they came out scrambled. My cousin ordered her skillet with feta cheese, but it came out with cheddar. When we told them about the incorrect order, the staff was not happy to take back the order although it was their mistake. If they were courteous about it, it would be fine. Don't get me wrong, the food is good (better than Yolk which is just down the street) but the service could definitely use more some improvement. read more

If you are going to spend money on breakfast why go here? The servers are not that friendly, the food is not remarkable, and the space is pretty tired. People who are rating this as five stars have very low expectations of what a breakfast out can and should be. We were given tiny little cups for our water (other tables had larger ones) and hardly ever refilled. The coffee was poor. I've been to other franchises of TOPH and been impressed... not so with this one. Quit giving away stars people. read more

Original Pancake House - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Once you get inside the vibe is warm welcoming and very 60's. Incredibly good service. Has no street presence only a sign sending you below. Feng schwei awkward from sidewalk but ok once inside. Coffee is very good served with real cream. Good eats. read more

Original Pancake House - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The service is consistently good. I had western skillet for the first time. It was delicious. I think I'm going to get this from now on until I get sick of it. read more

Another great meal at this reliable favorite. My first brunch outside since last year, and it did not disappoint. A large breakfast menu, good service, and a shady table on a busy corner. They are always pleasant and happy to welcome me as a customer. read more

Everything that's wrong with the suburbs brought to the heart of Lakeview/ Lincoln park. This place lacks the character, out of the box thinking, and unique experience that makes living in a city awesome. Places like this should stay out of the city. The food was mediocre, the corporate vibe was atrocious, and the service was meh. Most of their items look disgusting (especially their special Dutch pancake things #giantpoops). Here's some places you should go to instead if you're in the area: France's deli, The Bagel, Stella's, Eleven City, Anne Sathers, Orange, and Cafe Vienna. Just to name a few. read more

One of THE BEST breakfast spots ever! My sister and I dined here for some late breakfast and it was pretty empty. I think we got there around 2 and I believe they close at 3pm. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. The pancakes melt in your mouth and bacon thick and cooked to perfection. The service; however, was just ok. Our guy seemed a bit awkward and maybe ready to go. It was noticeable but not bothering because we really wanted to catch up and eat uninterrupted. Parking can be an issue because it's street parking in a busy area. The view isn't pretty yet as there are doing a lot of construction across the street but still good to people watch. For these reasons, I rated 4 stars but I would definitely recommend and revisit. read more

Original Pancake House - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing pancakes!!! So moist and soo delicious! I perfer the pecan pancakes with butter peacan syrup!

My husband and I happened to be in the area and decided to stop in for breakfast. I'll tell you we're glad we did. The food and service was amazing!! Jennifer was our waitress and she was fantastic. I had the build your own baked omelet and my hubby had the bacon and eggs with pancakes. Both were equally delicious!! Despite the fact we live in Crystal Lake and it's over 40 miles away, we'd be willing to make the trip back to the city just to have breakfast!! read more

I grew up in Chicago and going to the pancake house was always a positive experience. For 20 years I lived out of state and moved back to Lakeview not too long ago. My husband picked up what should have been a lovely breakfast to go recently, including one of my all time favorite dishes; potato pancakes. When he arrived and I opened my container, I was confronted with soggy circles that smelled, I kid you not, like wet dog. Determined to find a way to enjoy them I tried a bite. It was terrible. They tasted as bad as they smelled. Thinking it must just be me I asked my husband to try them, thinking maybe he would eat them so it wouldn't be a waste of food and money. He couldn't get past the weird smell to even taste them. I called the restaurant. I was placed on hold for over 5 minutes. Tried again. Same thing. Tried again, finally got a manager on the phone who hung up on me when he basically said tough luck and I quite calmly said that didn't at all match the service I was used to there. Hung up on me. No raised voices, no bad language. Unreal. I called again. Went to a recording. Kept trying and calmly asked for the manager again, hoping I had just been cut off but he was so snippy with me it was clear that he had hung up on me. I worked in restaurants for years and never saw a manager react to any customer that way, let alone a calm one just asking for a refund on one dish. After the call I decided to email corporate and move on, assuming they would do the right thing. Nope. 2 weeks later, because of a holiday and/or vacation, a very polite letter backing up the food and manager and still refusing the $11 refund. They offered to send a gift certificate. For what? Inedible food and rude service? Very sad to have to write off a diner I have loved since I was a youngster but with Yolk one block east, they must be nuts. It's not the $11 so much as the principle. Issuing refunds, in full or part, is simple and not going to adversely effect their business but it goes a long way towards customer retention. They just don't care about losing one, clearly. Disappointing. And seems like business suicide but hey, I am just a customer, right? Not anymore. read more

How do you screw up breakfast?? This place has nailed it. I ordered the eggs benedict with no meat. I received meat on a muffin, no eggs. No big deal. Mistakes happen. When I got the correct order, the poached eggs were rock hard on the inside-waaaay overcooked. The waitress took my plate again and asked that I cut the eggs open to check them. They seemed okay. However, she forgot the hollandaise sauce which came 10 minutes later. The potato pancakes are completely tasteless with zero texture. When paying my bill, the hostess asked how everything was. I said, "Not great". Her reply was "Sorry to hear that-next". Spend your money elsewhere. This place sucks. read more

Love the new location. We have been patrons of OPH for years going to the old location on Lincoln Park West. The new place is bright and sunny. The food is very good. Always hot and tasty. Staff is great. read more