The Original Pancake House - DTC — Restaurant in Greenwood Village

I'd never been the The Original Pancake House before today but, as it was Veteran's Day and I a veteran, I decided to swing by for their Veteran's Day offering: an unrestricted choice from the menu on the house.

(Get it? "On the house?" Pancake House.... Ah, never mind)

Even though it was about 8:30 on a Friday morning and although I was alone I had to wait for about 20 minutes to be seated. I'd expect that sort of wait on a Saturday or Sunday, but Friday? Sure, it's smack dab in the middle of the Tech Center and many people looked like they were out for a "work breakfast," but that excuse didn't mitigate the surprise wait.

Since it is mid-November I wasn't thrilled to be seated outside even though I chose "first available" when checking in. I really thought they'd find a small two person table for me somewhere in a corner, not a four person table in the chill morning air - but that was okay. After my wait the air had warmed up enough that sitting in the sun was quite comfortable.

The waiter brought me a tiny glass of water and I asked if there were larger glasses. He said, "Not for water." I then informed him he was going to be making a lot of refill trips. And he did. What can I say, I drink a lot of water.

I ordered the Sausage (patties) and Eggs (over medium) plate that came with three "fluffy pancakes" and some sort of diced potatoes.

The eggs were smaller than I was expecting. Maybe I shop at Costco too much, but I was really thought a breakfast joint would have "large" eggs. Nor were they cooked over medium. Over easy, maybe. Over medium? No.

The two sausage patties were okay, if a bit dry. They had a hint of spiciness to them which was good.

The potatoes were ... meh. And the pancakes didn't live up to the hype. Were they fluffy? Sure. Were they life altering? No.

The big question is: would I drive the four miles to this place in the future? And I have to say, No. There is nothing here that is better than any other closer and/or less expensive establishments. Maybe the ambience of the dining room, but I didn't sit in the dining room, so I wouldn't know, would I?

My server was friendly and attentive, but it wasn't hard to be so with my simple...

A birthday breakfast tradition in the making

Took my son Sam to The Original Pancake House in Greenwood Village for his 12th birthday—his first time experiencing this Colorado breakfast institution. I’ve been many times, but this was a big moment for him. He’s now the first in our family to be initiated into the Dutch Baby club… and judging by his reaction, this might just turn into a birthday tradition.

We went to the DTC location, but they’ve got a few around Colorado—Cherry Hills, Denver, Boulder. The vibe is consistent across the board: warm, bustling, and committed to doing breakfast right. But this visit was something special, mostly thanks to our server, Joy (who lives up to her name). She’s been part of their crew for six years and made it feel like we were regulars.

She even gave us a behind-the-scenes tour: the toast line, the cook line, the food prep area, the walk-in fridge (where everything looked immaculately organized), and the Zummo juicer that slices whole oranges in half and peels them automatically before squeezing.

Sam went all-in on his birthday splurge—fresh-squeezed OJ, chocolate milk, and the Dutch Baby. If you’ve never had one, imagine a German pancake on steroids: airy, golden, slightly crispy at the edges, with a custardy center and layers that hold a dusting of powdered sugar just right.

Joy brought him a surprise birthday crêpe too—stuffed with strawberry preserves and lemon. I may have eaten more of it than he did. No regrets.

I ordered the traditional eggs Benedict (Sam had never heard of one), and while it was solid, it wasn’t the star of the table. Next time? I’m getting the apple pancake—one of their signature dishes I’ve heard about forever but never actually tried. Max, you’re up next… birthday breakfast at The Original?

If you’re moving to Colorado or just exploring the area, this place is a must-visit for a classic breakfast done with care. And if you’re a local like me—especially one who helps people buy or sell homes in Colorado—you know these kinds of spots are what make neighborhoods...

I wish I could give a review about the quality of the food, but it never got that far. The service was subpar and almost insulting. My wife had visited this place months ago and enjoyed the food so she recommended this place. When we arrived the exterior of the building seemed old and in need of some fresh paint. When we went Inside the place was packed. The amount of space between the customers showed that the establishment had no regard for personal space and prefer to create an environment for becoming a super spreader. Once we were seated it was practically impossible to hear what our waiter said. The background noise very deafening. It took us basically speaking in a loud tone to order drinks and repeating the order multiple time. When it came time to order my wife began to order and the waiter walked away in the middle of her orderand was gone for more than 2 to 3 minutes than came back and stood there like nothing had happened, by that time I was upset by the environment, the service and the way the majority of the customers looked at us as we walked toward our seats. I guess these customers prefer brown people as servers and not as customers seating among them. I can excuse most of these things, but the one thing I can not forgive is the blantant disrespect displayed toward my wife by the waiter. So we informed the waiter we would not be ordering and that we would pay for our drinks and leave the restaurant. I will make sure I tell everyone about our experience at...