Basic reliable diner food. Place is straight out of the 70s. Love that the new owners cut down on the amount of clowns but kept a couple.

Sadly, the lemonade was not green. The portions were massive. Definitely for your buck. Circus burger was scary massive. Vintage decor. Bathroom review: clean, nice, and welcoming. Staff were all friendly and dont order the bagel. Overall I would say this is definitely a place for all to go to, when going to Sacramento. Cult classic status. read more

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Do not go here. The inside is covered in dusty clown decor. Terrible diner coffee and food was inedible

Generic diner with great food! Service was pretty good for what seemed to be a minimal amount of staff. Best pancakes I've had in a while but they weren't as hot as I prefer. Had them warmed up & they were perfect. I plan to return to try their "pigs in a blanket". I recommend. read more

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Once you get past the clowns and 1960's motif you realize it's all part of the charm. I have lived in Sacramento for a few decades and this place hasn't changed but in the best possible way. The staff is polite and friendly and the food is dependently delicious and more affordable than most fast food. Even though the place is not brand new, it is very clean, no matter what time of day. This place is a Sacramento treasure where the patrons are the real winners just checkout the Lottery winners history in the area. I took my niece here before her first day of college. It's just good vibes read more

The new owner has really turned the breakfast icon around. The service is personable and efficient The food was very good, and the coffee was a cut above the standard restaurant blend. We are fortunate to have a real old stlye diner in this era of boring overpriced chain restaurants. Long may it serve (excellent breakfasts) read more

4 stars cause the bus girl was all off . That waitress was the best . The food was very good . It was clean , service was good , food was excellent , hopefully your not scared of clowns if so might not enjoy this establishment. . They were very busy while I was here . And the waitress did more then anyone besides the owner who I personally thought was awesome! Price is perfect . Location was good . read more

FANTASTIC friendly service, classic diner vibe, good pancakes, omelets, and steady stream of coffee. My kid is not big on the clown decor, but I find it strange and charming. It's somewhat divey, to be sure, but that adds to its charm. read more

Great prices, great food (surprisingly not overly greasy), and fast service. Aesthetics are outdated and kind of gross looking with a ton of clown decor. But would I recommend it, absolutely. Had the country fried steak with eggs and potatoes and a Nutella banana crepe. The crepe had a ton of banana and Nutella, a great value in a casual place. read more

Pancake Circus - Country fried steak - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

Unfriendly service but fun kitschy atmosphere and a lot of food. I can see why this is a destination for truckers. Love the clown paraphernalia but food was low key lukewarm. Worth a stop by but not necessarily for food read more

"You're going to be In Sacramento? You've got to go to Pancake Circus". We followed our friends advice and we're glad we did. A bit of disappearing Americana alive and well. The owner told me a brief history: originally opened in 1958, then became Pancake Circus in '68. My impression is that it hasn't changed a bit since getting its circus motif makeover. Circuses, and in particular, non-scary clowns are no longer in vogue, so catch it while you can. Their collection of clown paintings is impressive and without an ounce of irony. And what of the food you ask? The pancakes were light and fluffy, the portions ample and coffee fresh and hot. Excellent service as well on a busy Sunday morning. Thank goodness places like this still exist. read more

Pancake Circus - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

Absolutely one of the dirtiest places I've ever eaten. Whatever was used to impersonate butter would have been better used as axle grease. Service was non-existent. The smell when entering the restaurant was indescribably bad. Our plates stuck so badly to the table that it was actually hard to get them to break free. Just because a restaurant is old doesn't mean you don't need to clean it. Even the menus were covered in filth. The food was below average at best. read more

Pancake Circus - Pancakes - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

The atmosphere is impeccable, the food is decently good and cheap, and the coffee is terrible. You can buy lotto tickets and admire their many clown art. I'm glad they improved their curly fries bc for a while, they were bland and beige, no seasoning salt in sight. Mildly homophobic vibe, flawless early 80s brown diner palette. read more

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Great greasy spoon been there for many many years if you don't like clowns you need to stay away because the circus threw up at this place great kid place to eat read more

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I know this may seem silly but I was thrilled to have brunch here today. I have lived here for almost 43 years and this was my first time at Pancake Circus. The food and service were actually very good and less expensive than McDonald's! I will definitely be back. Don't be put off by the outside of the menu. Inside there are lots of good things to eat. read more

Pancake Circus - Menu - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

The food they remembered to bring us was cold and we couldn't get anyone's attention to fix it or complete our order. We were not checked on once. I kind of like the weird decor and the old building, but not enough to pay $56 for cold eggs again. read more

I went to this place over a decade ago and my daughter wanted to do a YouTube video here today. I remember the greasy, rather nasty food and wasn't exactly looking forward to it. I was happy to find out there are new owners AND he is keeping the clown kitsch atmosphere AND EVEN MORE that the food has improved greatly since my last visit. I had the bacon cheeseburger and I was pleasantly surprised by the maple flavor in my bacon. My kid had the pancake special and loved the whole experience and rated the restaurant 10 out of 6 stars. read more

Don't do it! Against my better judgment I opted for Pancake Circle over many other better options because I hadn't had this place before. I ordered a BYO omelette with ham, sausage, onions and mushrooms. The mushrooms were from a can and there was an off smell to the ensemble. My girlfriend had California omelette and I kid you not when I say the three slices of avocado were black. We inspected them trying to confirm that they were indeed avocados. The hash browns were decent, those can't really be ruined. 0/10 recommend. read more

Pancake Circus - California Omelet with black avo. Oh my. - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

Delicious, classic, diner food with fun, yet mildly disturbing clown art decor. Since moving to Sac this has been our favorite breakfast spot because brunch has become a 5 hour ordeal with wait times. We always get a table right away, and the waitresses are very kind and hardworking. read more

I went over to Pancake Circus while waiting for my oil change to be completed across the street at A1. I told the waitress that I will be here for a while. She said that there are no issues. I was truly appreciative regarding the great service. The staff is highly attentive. They were very busy on a Tuesday morning for breakfast. I observed a lot of locals, chatting with the staff by name and the staff greeting them by name. A customer was filling out Christmas cards while they ate their breakfast. Another customer had taken her elderly father to the restaurant for breakfast and he knew the staff's names and said goodbye to them by name. It made me smile. I felt so welcomed. It was as if I was instant family when I entered. Will this be a mind blowing gourmet breakfast that you dream of? Likely not. Will this be a a place that you will receive great service and feel welcomed at? Absolutely. I had the chicken fried steak with scrambled eggs and I asked for country fried potatoes because I don't eat pancakes. It was a decent portion. I didn't finish it. I added more pepper to the gravy and also added salt to the potatoes. If I had one small criticism, I wish they added a little salt to their country potatoes because it doesn't stick as well when the potatoes aren't piping hot. I understand why they don't though, because some people need to avoid salt. This place was in business when I was a teenager, many years ago. It has stood the test of time. I'm sure that there is a reason why. read more

Grits and eggs, perfect for breakfast for a cool morning. I generally like my eggs very runny, but it's hard to find a cook that can make them that way. read more

Pancake Circus - Grits and eggs, perfect breakfast, I usually like the eggs cooked over easy, but it's hard to find a cook that knows what that is. - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

Two stars because the food is definitely edible. I would order pancakes or waffles and stay away from anything a bit more complicated. Someone in our group ordered eggs Benedict. The hollandaise was not very good and tasted like it was out of can. Bacon is your standard bacon. I would really stick to carbs here and not meat. Prices are low - around your average diner price as opposed to a nicer sit down restaurant. Personally, I don't want to spend my money here ever again. Just not worth it. Pro tip: If you are going to go here, prepare for some intense clown paraphernalia. Do not eat here if you have any sort of clown or circus phobia because it is highly thematic. read more

Pancake Circus is a Sacramento food landmark. Recently a new owner and new manager took over the operations and the place now shines with great food, service, cleanliness and they make you feel welcome! I suggest that you try the crab cakes benedict. Absolutely delicious! Breakfast or lunch the menu items are wonderful. Don't forget the onion rings with your delicious hamburger or favorite sandwich. Thank you Pancake Circus for being a favorite neighborhood restaurant! Job well done! read more

This place is the worst breakfast restaurant ever. I highly do not recommend. Service was terrible. Food sucks. No flavor. Business is ran poorly Don't waste your time and money coming here read more

A solid breakfast diner with friendly and attentive wait staff. The chicken fried steak was pretty good and they kept the coffee coming.

Adnan, owner, is such a nice guy. Service is excellent and I personally love the halal turkey with Veg/chicken egg. Price is reasonable and it is surely hard to finish a single plate as well. Keep up the good work guys. read more

Decor has all the vibes of a 70s horror film.. although funnily enough that's right up my alley. Food was good but overpriced, service was terrible (everyone but our server was helping us when and if they were able), person who handled our bill was very short with me and irritable. read more

Pancake Circus - Entrance - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

Perfect place for a quick breakfast off of Broadway in Sacramento. If you're over 60, check out the menu items most under $10 for entrees! It's a very good deal and classic 1959 interior read more

My first time at Pancake Circus was met with friendly staff , delicious food, and a great story. This restaurant has been serving the community for a long time and to see this historic jewel still here warms my heart and belly. The next time you're craving some good breakfast come by and enjoy the pancakes, hot links breakfast platter, and more. read more

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I've driven past this place more times than I can remember, always saying "I've gotta try them out." Well, today was that day and unfortunately it wasn't a good one. My "soft" omelette with extra cheese, was literally "raw" on the inside. The server checked the 2nd one and obviously it too was raw, because I saw her look inside and hand it back, saying it shouldn't be all runny. When the next one came, there was no cheese at all. While waiting for my omelette, I decided to start on my pumpkin pancakes, which turned out to be undercooked, as well. I just gave up, boxed my food and waited for the check. On top of all this, was a loud and unruly customer. I hate to give a negative review. But there was NOTHING good about this experience. read more

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My friends were in town for a Laurel and Hardy convention and had breakfast at this clown restaurant as it went with the theme of our stay in Sacramento. We all enjoyed our breakfast very much and would definitely come here again. The next time we were in town. read more

Probably the worst breakfast/brunch spot I've been to in a while. My parents wanted to check it out, since they've never been. From the moment you walk in...you'll see what I'm talking about. Not sure how long they've been around, but I'm sure they have the same furniture from the day the doors opened. I could have ignored everything else if the service and food were amazing. If you're looking for good service...don't come here. The hostess who brought us our waters asked for me to pass the drinks down to the rest of my family. Don't think that has ever happened to me before. Our table was NOT big, walking around would have taken seconds. Then when our pancakes came out, our server stood on one side of the table and asked for us to pass those down too. They should have seriously just left it on a tray and let me do all the work LOL. My breakfast was decent and definitely enough for me to eat. Pancakes are pretty good. I felt a little bad for my little brother because the Chorizo scramble dish was almost nonexistent. I was seriously wondering where the rest of his meal went....I even offered him some of my food. Never again... read more

Pancake Circus - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

This place deserves higher than 3 star! We always have a good experience. Even when they are busy we get seated efficiently, order taken quick, and our food comes right out. Beyond that not looking for luxury here. Staff is super friendly and they are okay with splitting a plate with my daughter. I like the pancakes, they are thick, light, and fluffy! The rest of the food is typical diner food so as long as your expectations are not set too high this place is great! read more

Big o pancakes 4 sausage links hash browns & coffee, sublime! This here is one of my new places to go to for a big filling and delicious breakfast read more

Pancake Circus - Storefront - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

Been going here since I was a kid. But $20 for a very simple breakfast, coffee and tip for this low quality of food is criminal. I like to support places like this but the sausage was so much grease I could hardly find the meat. The eggs over hard were so hard that parts were inedible. The hash browns were mostly brown and yet some parts were very dark brown to almost burnt. In conclusion, it still has some of its old charm but leaves a lot to be desired for the price. read more

The staff is a delight and the food is delicious. The circus decor is odd but kind of cute. I look forward to going again. read more

Pancake Circus - Crab Cake Benedict Hash Browns Juice - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

Pancake Circus opened for limited in-restaurant dining since Sacramento County loosened its restrictions so my fiancee and I decided to try it for Sunday breakfast - our routine before COVID was to visit our 'neighborhood' breakfast spot for a nice, hardy Sunday breakfast but as it's still not open Pancake Circus was our only option. This is what we ordered: a coffee, OJ, french toast with a side of hashbrowns and the eggs benedict (classic) with a short stack side. The coffee was terrible but no surprise there. I didn't walk in expecting to get high quality brew. My fiancee's french toast was better than I expected - tasty and well cooked. Her side of hashbrowns were a bit under cooked and soft. The big issue was my eggs benedict - the hollandaise sauce tasted like a melted cheese sauce. And when you order the eggs benedicts you get to choose between scrambled or poached eggs, which seems like an odd question for an eggs benedict. Even after ordering the eggs poached they came HARD BOILED! Check out the picture attached. It was a struggle finishing this plate. Plus I had hash browns served the same way as my fiancee - under cooked and soft. The short stack of pancakes were the best part of our breakfast - no complaints there. The short stack and french toast saved this review from being a 1 star. It's a shame but I will not recommend this place at all. read more

Pancake Circus - I ordered poached eggs with my eggs benedict, and they came out hard boiled. - Diners Near Me - Sacramento, California

I think it's named Pancake Circus because just like a circus, it's cheap, over-promises, and underdelivers. Although there weren't any lions or sword swallowers, Pancake Circus was certainly a place that I was eager to try. The name alone gives me ideas of childhood and fun, and breakfast is definitely the best meal of the day (fact not opinion). I ordered a standard biscuit and gravy and then two eggs with hash browns and bacon. The basic breakfast meal. My partner ordered pancakes. I was happy with how my biscuits and gravy turned out although they were nothing too special. Unfortunately, the remainder of my dish was not as desirable. The eggs were overcooked and the potatoes lacked any flavor at all and were slightly undercooked. Very disappointing. The highlight was definitely the pancakes that my partner got, which I should have guessed since the restaurant isn't called Biscuits and Gravy Circus. Service was just okay and the atmosphere leaves something to be desired. Definitely a great casual diner feel but without the usual delicious diner food. read more

Local breakfast spot with pretty good food for an affordable price. Service was friendly. If you think about it it's a better deal then going to IHOP or Dennys. I think people critique affordable places like this too much especially since inflation is on the rise. I ate good and saved money that's sounds like a good experience to me read more

The food is amazing and great customer service the sausage is good the pancakes are so fluffy and amazing the plates cups and silverware are all clean read more