Granny's Pancake House & Grill — Restaurant in Hamburg

This was a pleasant start to the year. Granny's was our choice for a post-First of the Year Hike meal early Sunday afternoon. I had a good feeling back in 2022 (aka last week) when I called them to confirm they'd be open on January 1, and the girl who verified they would be was SO pleasant on the phone. Always a promising sign. The parking was a little limited (when I showed up, there were only two remaining spots), but based on how full the restaurant was, it looked to me like there were JUST enough parking spots to accommodate the seating. There were a few closed businesses nearby with parking areas that you probably could risk in a pinch on a holiday like this, but luckily we didn't have to concern ourselves with that dilemma.

The menu and environment is that of a pretty standard diner, but you could tell immediately this place was a little more small town and personal, if that makes sense. Granny's seemed a bit short-staffed but everyone was clearly working hard. We had to wait maybe two minutes for someone to clear off a table for us, but that to me was more about it just being a busy day than anything else. I thought morally it was important to get pancakes since it's literally in the name of the restaurant, so I opted for the Strawberry Pancakes ($6.95), along with a side of home fries ($3.95) and toast ($1.25). Everything was very good. I thought the pancakes could have used a few more strawberries - which were cooked inside the pancakes - as there were a couple of bites that were just plain/non-strawberry. Definitely debatable, but I find when the strawberries are placed separately on top of the pancakes, it's easier to ensure they're distributed evenly. We did have a mild service issue with the home fries. Two of us actually ordered sides of them, and only one small plate showed up. There was plenty on that plate to share, so it wasn't initially clear if the home fries had been combined for us, but about 10 minutes later the waitress apologetically provided another plate of them. Not a big deal, as we had all been munching on the first serving of them throughout. The superstar was probably the French toast sticks that we got as a shared app - perfect amount of crispness. Very tasty.

The bathroom could definitely use a little TLC. I don't know that anyone is seeking out scented tissues or frankly anything particularly high class in a diner restroom, but this one hadn't been cleaned in a while and a lot of the equipment (like the water heater) were much more prominently displayed than, say, vases, or those scent sticks that make up standard public bathroom décor.

The service was solid. We had two waitresses who consistently came by, one of whom had a very soft voice and was tough to hear, and the other just a total social superstar - really friendly and engaging. All of our food (with the exception of the second plate of home fries) came out very quickly, and the price point was super competitive. It's honestly tough to find egregious prices in the Kingdom of Sussex, but I'll take sub $10 pancakes any day in this inflationary environment. A strong contribution to the massive Jersey...

If you're a weary traveler in search of a good all American breakfast, I recommend you keep driving and find somewhere else to stop.

Passing through town, my family decided to come here for breakfast as we were hungry and this place had high reviews. I see now that the myriad 5/5 star reviews are because Granny's Pancake House and Grill is probably "the best in town" and not because the quality is spectacular. It's fine, I would say below average.

You walk in and are greeted with the pleasant atmosphere of an all American diner. While you wait to be seated you can help yourself to some conspiracy propaganda prominently displayed that proudly detests unamerican and evil entities like... the Public Library Association, Bud Light, and Disney. I've never seen such agressive political ramblings so proudly displayed in a business and it was just off putting. It feels unwelcoming.

The service was fine. The wait staff was attentive but not particularly pleasant or welcoming. You can really feel the "I want you in and out asap so I can get paid" mood.

The food was below average. Everything came out correct (the over easy eggs were, in fact, over easy) but it was just bland. The home fries are just little bits of fried potatoes with the occasional bit of onion to spice things up every couple of bites. The sausage gravy was bland with almost no sausage. I could go on. You get what you order but it's all just meh.

So overall- the place is a classic diner but the proudly displayed propaganda creates an unwelcoming feeling. The service feels like they're just going through the motions. The...

We came in around noon for a late breakfast and were able to sit right away. We were brought our water and coffee quickly with Jordan, our server, coming to take our order shortly thereafter. All employees wore masks, and they were all VERY nice. Jordan was also wearing gloves for additional protection. In a small, local place, you never quite know what restrictions or precautions will be in place. The staff here are handling a post-pandemic existence nicely.

My wife has both gluten and dairy allergies. Jordan knew what she could and could not eat, which was refreshing. Thankfully, my wife is not celiac, so she can have food from the same fryer as other, non-gf foods. This meant she could have the home fries.

They also had almond milk for my wife's coffee, which was both surprising and awesome!

The buttermilk pancakes were exactly what I wanted. The home fries were maybe a bit bland, but I don't mind not having salt thrown on everything. My wife added a tiny bit of salt to the home fries and the perfectly-cooked over-medium eggs and said they were good.

Service was quick, the food was perfect, and the prices are so reasonable. If you're looking for a nice breakfast at a local place, I don't think you'll be disappointed here. It also seemed like it would be kid-friendly. What kid doesn't like chocolate...