The Original Pancake House — Restaurant in Portland

GREAT FOR KIDS!! It’s a pancake house, keep that in mind. A majority of their menu is devoted to pancakes and crepes and sweets in general. So if you have a sweet tooth and like to start your morning off with nothing but carbs and sugar, this is a great place for you. The menu had an extensive variety of pancakes and crapes and maybe waffles. I had a hard time pinpointing something that I could eat, besides an omelette. I am more of a carb-conscious person. I had a hard time locating anything like bacon and eggs on the menu. Our waitress, Joe, was not particularly friendly or welcoming so I didn’t feel comfortable, asking her anything about the menu.

I ended up just choosing the corned beef hash because I was overwhelmed with all of the pancakes. The corned beef hash was mushy. It is served with something like potato pancakes. It was flavorful and rich but mostly mushy. The fresh OJ has lots of pulp in it, just FYI. So if you don’t like your juice with heavy pulp, you might want to skip it.

It’s definitely not a place that I will ever go back to. It’s not a place that I would recommend to my friends. It wasn’t awful. It’s just a very “particular” breakfast and ambience.

The seating is very ,very crowded. The tables are exceptionally close together. The walking space between the tables is perfect for someone the size of a child; but not for any larger adults. The restaurant dining area is not very accessible to anyone with certain handicaps. If you have mobility issues or social anxiety, this is not the place for you. You will be bumping into the person next to you while you’re just trying to take a seat.

Our waitress seemed like she did not even want to be there. She at times seemed a little snobby. Her vibe seemed out of place and reminded me of going out in Beverly Hills.

I think that given the menu options and all of the chairs crowded together this is a really perfect place to take a whole lot of kids who adore pancakes and sweets. They have lots of high chairs and a nice big tables for babies and toddlers to...

This place is in a cute, old home. There is AC in the waiting entry. The wait can be more than an hour. The parking lot goes back further than first impressions indicate. There are multiple signs stating cameras are all over, so no worry about break-ins. We were lucky and only waited twenty minutes. Once we were seated, they got us our drinks and order quickly. We each ordered the gluten-free pancakes. I let the waitress know it was an allergy, and they scraped the grill. I didn't get sick. The entire middle row of the pancakes flavors can be made gluten-free. The price may seem on the high side until you receive your food. The cakes are 6-8" in diameter, and you get 7! I was able to eat three while there and had plenty of leftovers for later. The other half ordered an egg, and they brought a side of two. He went with it. I ordered a side of hashbrown, extra crispy. They were, but when they say butter hashbrowns, they mean soaked. I couldn't eat more than two bites as they were so grease soaked. I can't recommend them at all. The pancakes, on the other hand, were the best in an hour drive... maybe anywhere outside of home. He ordered the banana pancakes, and they used fresh banana pieces. I ordered the pecan. I swear there was a half pound of nuts on my plate! They are not candied or salted, just plain, raw pecans. Both plates came with a small pitcher of housemade tropical syrup. It's orange juice and fresh squeezed lemon cooked into a thick syrup. I definitely recommend giving that a go. Unfortunately, the syrup at the table is a real maple mixed with corn syrup blend. I dislike corn syrup and can taste the difference. I recommend skipping this concoction if you use real maple syrup at home. I ordered a coffee, and it was definitely better than average. I would recommend the coffee and gluten-free pancakes without hesitation. Skip the hashbrowns unless wishing for instant,...

The best breakfast place I have ever experienced. In this modern day and age, when most people care more about convenience and speed than quality, it's refreshing to find a place that is still committed to the art of crafting delicious food. The chef here is genius. There is subtlety even in the simplest of dishes. Take the hash browns for example: made from scratch, cooked to perfection, well seasoned with a hint of citrus flavor, whereas most places you just get frozen potatoes cooked simply in oil and salt. This is not to mention the rest of the food, which is all delicious. I absolutely love breakfast food and have been to many breakfast places, none of which even begin to compare to this place.

The service here is always fabulous. We have had both Jo and Ciara as servers, and they are both absolutely on top of things. The people that work here really care about their jobs and their performance, and not only that, they care about the place they work and its reputation and performance. Most places you go nowadays, it's just a job for people. Not here! It's always fun chatting with these gals and sharing the joy of food with them. I wish I could rate this place 10 stars. A serious "well done" to a place that has managed to retain the joy of food, the art of subtlety in cooking, and the homey vibe of a small town restaurant.

Also, a side note: if you have been to another Original Pancake House, trust me when I say that it's a completely different experience than going to the original Portland location. I have been to a couple other locations, and apart from the fact that the menu is the same, it's like going to a completely different restaurant. Go try this place. You'll never want to eat breakfast anywhere else again! And to the people who have said the parking lot is crowded: that's a GOOD thing. No one wants to eat at a place where the parking...