The Griddle — Restaurant in Meridian

Not a bad place at all, but not the best in town. Only reason I came here was because Moe Joe’s down the street had a 40 minute wait, while this place had no wait. Atmosphere / interior vibe inside is alright, can get a little loud at times, definitely not as cozy as Moe Joes (IMO).

Although there was no wait time, the service was slow, specifically when waiting for the food. The waitress and the younger guy we had serving us drinks & food were very nice and friendly.

The food was alright, portions were kind of small for the price, and I wish they served country style potatoes rather than shredded hash browns, since the hashbrowns felt a little too greasy / rich after you ate them. One specialty item I ordered was the Blueberry pancakes (specialty because they only serve them on Sundays), and they were pretty good, although I wish they were served with some kind of blueberry or mixed berry type of syrup rather than maple (or maybe I had to request that?) and with built in walnuts or some other kind of nuts.

I think the part I enjoyed most here was their cappuccino and latte (ordered both to compare). Still doesn’t compare to the Konditorei Restaurant in Sun Valley OR Flying M Coffee Garage in Nampa, but the cappuccino here was kinda up there IMO. Also, the friendliness of the people here was one of the bigger pros for me.

An area of improvement that would be nice to see is the reduced wait time for the food. Made me question if the no wait time but the long wait time for food was even faster than just sitting it out in Moe Joes.

Overall, can’t give this place a 3, since in reality this place wasn’t bad at all and I don’t think that’s fair, but can’t give this place a 5 either, since I’m kind of stingy when giving out 5s. However, adding up the friendly service, the really good cappuccino, the pretty good blueberry pancakes, and the no wait time, it’s a 4. Just isn’t a place that stood out to me, which kind of resulted in this semi uninspired review. Will I come back here, probably, but Moe Joe's is still the go to place in town (IMO), although the wait time recently on weekends is kinda...

I first discovered the Nampa Griddle, as I live in Caldwell, and it quickly became my favorite breakfast place in the area. However, today we went to the Meridian location and we're blown away by the strict adherence to CDC guidelines! Tables 6 ft apart, all the staff wearing masks, masks required before entry.. not only that but the service was unbelievable, as usual. Servers were attentive and kind and friendly!

As for the food, I usually order my FAVORITE: pecan crusted French toast with bacon caramel sauce... but today I decided to branch out and I tried the almond crusted French toast with berries. So. Delicious. The order comes with two large pieces of French toast cut thick so I never order the combo because the French toast alone is so filling!

My friend ordered the build-your-own omelette and had English muffins, mango jam, and hash browns which she requested be extra crispy. The hash browns turned out perfect! And she loved her omelette! We also both ordered mocha's and I requested whipped cream on mine. They were both delicious and well made with really wonderful deep, rich coffee flavor. I also have to give a shout out to our wonderful server Marissa who absolutely blew us away with the latte art on top of my mocha!

I have also been consciously reviewing places for their accessibility and I'm happy to report that my friend's service dog was warmly welcomed with no questions asked. In addition, a gentleman in a wheelchair was also easily accommodated for, with plenty of spare room around him with no crowding. He was treated with equal dignity and respect as every other patron. Additionally, this location offers size-insclusive seating for patrons in larger bodies. Size inclusivity, disability accessibility, mobility accessibility, strict adherence to CDC recommendations--even down to a complimentary pump bottle of hand sanitizer at the entrance-- this place displays exceptionally high standards that all restaurants...

The Griddle is a well-known and loved Treasure Valley staple for breakfast.

The SE Boise location is slightly smaller than the Meridian location but both have the same menu, atmosphere and popularity.

They serve lunch as well, but breakfast is definitely their busiest time (but not because the quality is inferior after noon, I think it’s just that they developed a breakfast reputation a long time ago). In fact, their fries seem fresh-cut and homemade (not frozen). Delicious.

They have a wide variety of menu options for several diet types, including a yummy protein pancake that is gluten-free. I don’t know if it’s on a dedicated grill or not so if you are highly sensitive, you will need to ask about cross contamination. Unfortunately, they do not have any other gluten-free bread options.

Pros: The food is delicious and the service is fast and friendly. The pricing is mid-range and what you would expect to pay for a typical breakfast.

Wait times can be about 20-45 mins for a table during busy times BUUUT you will find that just about anywhere in the city these days. And actually, they get people in and out pretty quickly. If they say the wait is 20 mins, it will be 20 mins. It is worth the wait.

Cons: This is a personal preference but the restaurant can be loud. The decor is cafe-style with laminate flooring, vinyl booths and metal-legged chairs so the chatter and clinking dishes can turn intimate conversations into a yelling match so don’t expect to share a quiet meal where your lover can hear you giggle and whisper. This is a “cup your hand around your mouth and show them your tonsils while you repeat yourself” type of vibe. But it’s fun. And it’s energetic and it will definitely wake you up. Also, wait times can seem looooooooooong when you’re starving and they don’t take reservations so go early or use their call-ahead service.

Do it. Go. Go. Go....