The Original Pancake House — Restaurant in Winnipeg

This was my second time visiting this resturant. The first time we found that it was just the service that was poor. The resturant didn't seem so busy, no wait times to be seated, lots of seats open however we noticed it took quite a long time to get our food and even be asked what we wanted. We waited a good 20 minutes before getting asked what we wanted to drink and then another additional 20 minutes to be asked what we wanted to order. Our waiter walked passed us multiple times but never checked up which was kinda frustrating.

Now the reason I give 1 star was cause our second time visiting. I wanted to give the resturant another try because long wait times I can deal with as long as I don't have anywhere to go. I was also taking someone new with us this time who's never been and thought we would try something else on the menu. If I'm being quite frank, the food here is no different then most breakfast places. There was nothing that stood out to me. The fruits were frozen then thawed (its just my opinion I don't like, but if you don't mind it then disregard), the Belgium waffles weren't that great the cost was average, so nothing that made me wow. The service was the same as my first experience, the server never checked up on us and the most annoying thing was the person walking around with coffee who came to our table 7 times (more then the servers ever had) asking us for coffee refills after we told him 3 times we don't have coffee. However the reason I give 1 star and definitely wouldn't go back is because of the cleanliness. We spent more time swatting away Flys and fruit Flys then actually eating. They were non stop. It'd either try to get in my food, be chilling on the wall next to me, walking all over the table etc. It was as If I was sitting with a bowl of fruit where 1 is rotten. Then there was general Flys. Wasn't as bad compared, however still questionable. The cutlery that was provided was all dirty of wet. You can tell from the light above us there w were dead Flys sitting in there. Honestly the experience turned me off. It just wasn't what I expected and nothing special to come back too.

The reviews tend to confuse me with one half agreeing with what I said while the other saying how its an amazing place and great food, great service, so clean. Almost makes me think it's not real because that's really not what happens when...

We visited this location for the first time today. Our experience was so bad that we will not visit the McGillivray location again. It started with our arriving and being added to the Top of a waiting list. We were told it may take a few minutes extra, as a table for 5 are not as common - which is understandable.

After waiting 30 minutes, and having 14+ tables called ahead of us - including a table for 7 - I enquired as to how much longer. Only to discover that we had been struck from the list and were no longer listed for a table. The Manager immediately sat us, and apologized, however, the service continued to be terrible. We immediately received our drinks, and then the waitress did not appear to take our order until we flagged her down. Tables who had been sat after us, had ordered, with one receiving their meal when we completed our own order. We waited another 30 minutes for our food to arrive - long enough for the kids to finish their drinks and put their heads down on the table in resignation. Our coffee was refilled once, and the water was only refilled after finally asking; with warm tap water.

We were actually about to leave the restaurant when our food finally arrived. The meal was lack-lustre, and the salmon bennie were missing a key component - the capers. With only 5 ingredients on the plate; missing one seems ridiculous. We were all so hungry we ate in 5 minutes (after waiting more than an hour for food). My husband paid for our meal, and spoke to the cashier about our experience; to which she responded "I hope this doesn't deter you from coming again". The answer is "It does".

We will never return. As we explained to our kids - There are a multitude of excellent restaurants for us to choose from, and the McGillivray Pancake House is not...

Now, we went on Labour day monday so it was busy. The service was excellent but the food was not amazing. We got an eggs benedict and a french toast combo. Now I have to qualify this, the food WOULD have been good exept it came cold. The frnch toast couldn't melt the butter it came with amd it was dry. Coated on the oitside but none of the custard like mouth feel you expect of a French Toast, just dry inside. With the combo I asked for unseasoned home fry hash browns (not a fan of theor home fry seasoning blend), extra crispy and scrambled eggs. The combo food was warmish but they dont know how to scramble an egg - if I wanted a barely vut up fried egg, I would ask for one. Amd they can't make crispy potatoes my wxtra xeispy has no textural difference from my wife's .

Mywife's benny meal was warm, but she thinks the hollandaise had some to do with helpinf that.

Now the server did not bill us for my orange juice or my wife's pumpkin spice latte as compensation so they tried to make it right. And the service was warm, conversational and otherwise excellent.

For those reasons, I will give them abother try sometime on a...