The Pancake House Lewis Center Family Diner. — Restaurant in Orange Township

Where do I even begin with The Pancake House Lewis Center Family Diner? This is not a restaurant, but a phenomenal step back in time to what a real family diner should exist, all encapsulated in an inviting, comfortable atmosphere that will feel like home the moment you step inside. My most recent visit (one of many, I should note!) solidified its reputation as a top breakfast and lunch spot within the Lewis Center community, and quite possibly much further-reaching as well. As soon as you step inside, the atmosphere is clean. There's a mix of sturdy booths and tables, so there are options whether you're dining solo, bringing the huzz, or bringing the clan. It's that exact combination of hectic and relaxed; you're never rushing, but there's always a great vibe. The lighting is also bright and cheerful, great for waking up the morning lol. It really feels like a community center, where the regulars are warmly greeted by name and newcomers are welcomed with sincere smiles. Now let's get to the star of the show: the pancakes. They are worth the name! Whether you go for the classic buttermilk stack or venture out into their more exotic offerings (blueberry, chocolate chip, or whatever seasonal special they happen to have, maybe even the skibidi toilet specialty), you're in for a treat. The pancakes are always excellent, served hot off the griddle with helpings of butter and warm syrup, and sometimes cookies. The portion sizes are ridiculously generous; you will absolutely not leave hungry you big back! But don't let the name fool you into thinking that it's only pancakes. Their entire breakfast menu is a testamony to fantastic American comfort food at its best. The omelets are fluffy and loaded generously with your choice fillings – just cooked right, never overcooked or dry. The bacon is crunchy, the sausage is just right with that meaty flavor, and the hash browns are just crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. French toast? Golden and delicious. All taste fresh, newly prepared, and uses quality ingredients. They also serve a nice lunch menu comprised of diner essentials. Think full burgers, straightforward sandwiches (like a wonderful BLT or an old-fashioned grilled cheese), melts, and salads. Like at breakfast, portions are generous, ingredients are never frozen, and the preparation is consistently tasty. The hash browns are homemade, only in Ohio. The Pancake House Lewis Center Family Diner is not only a place to grab a meal; it's an experience. It does consistently remarkable, comforting food in a really cozy and welcoming ambiance, all on the part of a fine staff and at an excellent price. It's great for a Saturday morning family breakfast, a Monday lunch gathering, or simply an alone meal when you want to indulge in some old-school comfort food. It is the embodiment of America's finest diner culture. If you're in the area (even if you're not – it's well worth a drive!), I strongly, strongly suggest you go. This is a local treasure, and I'll be returning again and again, no question. Expect to depart full, content, and already planning your...

After hearing positive feedback my wife and I were excited to try a new conveniently located breakfast restaurant!

Pros Friendly and well-intentioned staff

Needs Improvement Although friendly, the staff doesn't seem organized. Within the first few minutes after being seated we were asked by three different people what we would like to drink and we let them know that we had already ordered also let them know what we ordered in an attempt to avoid confusion. The coffee quality was very low and difficult to drink which was a surprise coming from a breakfast/pancake specialty establishment. The first person that took wife's coffee order asked if she would like cream or sugar, and wife asked if they had heavy whipping cream and the waitress said yes. The third waiter however said no, and so wife ordered half and half which came out in those little disposable packets. When pouring one into her coffee it came out in chunks and then we found that the dates on all three packets expired almost three months ago. The waiter was apologetic, said they threw our the old containers, and made sure the replacements weren't chunky/expired. Wife ordered the country skillet and waiter asked how she would like her eggs cooked. She then went into a whole conversation about how she wanted hard yolks and didn't like runny and yet the dish came out with super runny yolks. After coming back to check on us, the waiter did remember that she ordered hard yolks and had it corrected. I ordered The Works which contains "everything"... and from the picture of the dish and menu items there are green peppers/tomatoes... however the actual dish had no red or green ingredients. At this point I could only assume they gave me some other dish like the Meat Lovers or just don't care enough to prepare it as advertised. There was no offer to comp the coffee or the incorrect food so I'm not sure how much they really care.

Overall I wish this place the best and hope they find an opportunity to improve on the items mentioned above! However, since everything we ordered had issues my impression is that their self expectations are currently on the lower end and hopefully...

This was my first time here. I had been here once when it was Wholly Joe's hotdog restaurant. It is MUCH better now.

They have a huge menu and it seems like they are willing to create special order you ask for.

I got the country skillet with scrambled eggs. I asked for the eggs to be scrambled well, and they did a great job. The last time I asked for that at Bob Evans, they came to the table burnt. I thought the skillet came with hash browns, but it had home fries. The potatoes were obviously cooked some time ago as they were cold. Unlike some places (Cracker Barrel) that give you a little dab of gravy, there was plenty of gravy on the skillet. I wanted more, but only because it was delicious.

The meal came with toast, french toast, or pancakes. I had to try the pancakes. When not exactly cold, they weren't hot, either. The little scoop of butter on top didn't melt, but it did spread easily. And, there could have been a little more of it. The pancakes tasted okay. I think they would have been better if they had been hot. Someone ordered the cinnamon pancakes while I was there and they smelled soooooo good. I wish I had ordered those.

There was plenty of food for the price. And I was mostly happy with it - I didn't eat all the pancakes. I was a little disappointed in the coffee, but it is hard to top Tim Hortons, my go to standard for coffee.

I think the few minor dings may have been the result of the big menu. It is nice to see so many options, but it is difficult to manage, too.

2020 being the year it is, I wish be wrong not to mention their COVID preparations. They are social distancing the seating and doing a good job disinfecting after each customer. While all employees wore a mask, most didn't have their nose covered and occasionally one would only have their...