The Pancake House Westerville Family Diner. — Restaurant in Westerville

"If you can imagine it, it will come".

Breakfast review... This draft review must now see the light of day. I seem to keep adding details after each visit, yet not publishing. PH is a better place to visit for diners. I know it isn't called Pancake House Diner. The menu is more limited than the standard Americana Diner.

This place is a solid 3.5 stars. Some visits have easily been 4's.

If you've been around to metropolis cities with diners, you see these 10 page menus offering omelettes to steak & lobster. It's hard to find a chef putting a special touch on that extensive amount of frozen food. Here at PH, Jose is trying to change that. When it's a lighter crowd, he certainly shines more. When it's jamming, he is maintaining ticket times and good food. Jose has stepped out so far, as to create his own hot sauce for each table, or for sale. I'm a bit of a hot sauce snob, so it does not rate higher than average on me. Again, I need to clarify that I buy and carry hot sauce made by a Westerville world champion hot sauce maker. Look at the Yelp pictures. There are many with hot sauce on the food. That does say something about the public opinion.

The obvious... It's small ! The private lot. The dining area. The kitchen. Parking overflows into the Kroger's plaza shopping center without a worry. The building usually features patrons standing outside waiting for a seat. I wonder if the Yelp companion app NoWait would help. Walk in, and a friendly server will acknowledge you, and get you on the list. They are also your enforcement ally to protect a seat for the next in line, from anyone trying to poach a table. Great staff. I also enjoy the menu knowledge. You can ask questions and get specific, factual answers. Try this- look over the menu. Close your eyes and imagine what you want to be tasting from the menu. These servers can put together that thought into a reality.

The food is good food. Pancakes are of course cooked perfect. Fried eggs are hit and miss.Omelettes are usually firm not fluffy. Chorizo seems to be a staple of the daily specials, but not yet in print on the menu. There is no standout item that I have ever tasted here, that drives me to tell the masses to drop everything and come now.

I need to try lunch fare for breakfast. Maybe even make it in for some of their special night dinners.

Dining room 3/5 Service 5/5 Food 3/5 Price 4/5 Parking ...

My wife and I stopped in on a whim after moving to the area—figured we’d give the local diner a shot. It’s a quaint little spot with limited seating and even more limited parking, but sometimes those are the best kind of places. Unfortunately, this wasn’t one of those times.

From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt less “welcome” and more “why are you here?”—which was odd, considering there were only two other diners at the time. When my wife asked the waitress if the cinnamon waffle was good, the reply was, and I quote, “I don’t know, if you like that kind of thing.” Which, apparently, is diner-speak for “don’t ask me questions.”

We ordered anyway—my wife bravely chose the mystery waffle, and I got the #4. I considered adding a side of gravy until I saw the price: $6 for a cup. For reference, their pricing is in the First Watch range, but the ambiance and quality are… not.

To be fair, my food was cooked well—the eggs were spot on, hashbrowns had good texture, though pretty flavorless (easily fixed with salt and pepper). My wife’s waffle, on the other hand, was still in its larval stage. I pointed out that it was raw—yes, a bit bluntly, but expecting a cooked waffle for $13 isn’t exactly high maintenance. The waitress responded with a snappy “I don’t make the prices,” which wasn’t really the issue, but thanks for the insight.

I asked if I could get the check, and the waitress turned and walked off, muttering something under her breath that didn’t exactly sound like “thank you for dining with us.” Meanwhile, one of the cooks began glaring at my wife as they begrudgingly started remaking the waffle. My wife, trying to make sense of the tension, pointed toward the register—guessing the waitress might’ve told us to pay up there.

So I walked over to settle the bill, only to be met with a shout from across the room: “Food’s on us today!”—delivered with all the warmth and hospitality of a “don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” I still offered to pay, out of principle, but she declined with a level of rudeness that really tied the whole experience together

We left without the waffle—and I suspect they were fine with that. Judging by the reception when we first walked in, I’d say we were just more work than they felt like dealing...

Stumbled upon The Pancake House by accident. That first visit I pondered whether my experience was a fluke. I sat at the counter and asked a lot of questions, I know you're surprised that I engaged in a conversation. Jose prepared me a chorizo wrap and we added jalapenos and onions.....size was way larger than I'd anticipated. Service was attentive, engaging and professional. Ask about Jose's HOT SAUCE....Be sure to use it while you're sitting there. The max capacity I'm unsure of but it's worth a wait if you encounter a full house. Try to learn about these guys buying the diner and how things have changed. Jose makes things grin scratch! Oatmeal Pancakes, Buckwheat Pancakes, regular pancake mix, Spaghetti Sauce.....he doesn't use packaged products for things like this.

Today I went back with my adult son. He's a biscuits and gravy snob.....he grew up with my sister making milk gravy with bologna or sausage and knows good from nasty. He chowed on three biscuits and gravy and he insists that he prefers this definitely over Bob Evans.

Be sure to consider the daily specials.....meatloaf is not a packaged product just sayin.

THE PANCAKE HOUSE on Shrock near Main in front off Kroger is definitely...