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Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Diners
Neighborhoods: West Hollywood, HollywoodMon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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The Griddle Cafe is like the antithesis of West Hollywood. The portions here... just...doesn't....quite make sense?? And yet, we are compelled and drawn to the complex gluttony of carbohydrates. Myself included.
I had yet another difficult option between savory and sweet.....savory or sweet... just when I thought I had settled on an omelet, I flipped the switch and was sold on the blueberry pancakes made with WHOLE wheat. Come on now, I give myself credit for being semi-healthy. I liked the pancakes just fine, my only critique is that the maple syrup was not sweet enough and the blueberry sour cream didn't really go well with the pancakes.
When the plate came out, I nearly gasped... as much as I tried to inhale the damn thing, it was futile. I managed to squeeze a quarter of the food into my stomach and then I gave up completely. The chips served with the tacos were toasty and seasoned well. I'm going to have to try their delicious looking tacos next time to satiate the savory appetite.
The coffee, though bold & strong, was so-so. It was almost on the borderline of burnt tasting, which is never fun.
With over 700 reviews, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that this is the go-to place for breakfast & brunch. Make sure you go with a big fun bunch and enjoy!
Three things worth getting:
French toast
Pumpkin pancakes
Banana pancakes
Had the ham and cheese frittata to start with griddle potatoes to start. Delicious. Had to start scarfing it down however because the Oreo pancakes arrived. I asked for them to come out a little bit after the egg dish. We learned a valuable lesson on this outing. When not in a rush to be anywhere and you don't want some thing until you are finished with some thing else, wait until then to order it. It makes sense when ordering desserts and that is exactly what this pancakes were going to be for us. Quick mention the 7 grain toast was heaven to Jacki and the raspberry jam was excellent even though she said she would bring strawberry.
They were the largest pancakes I had ever seen and I was completely prepared to eat them and only them while eating here, but an egg dish off this menu just was too appetizing to say no to. However they came out piping hot with a mound of whipped cream on top that was melting every second, but gotten to just in time. Only the first and a couple bites of #2 were eaten in restaurant. The rest were eaten first while waiting for bus to Venice and then while sitting by Starbucks down town because thats where we ended up. Here it was dipped in hot chocolate, which was ordering mistake #2 of the day. Should have waited til the dipping was going to begin. Debating whether or not I would come back. My time is limited here so unless someone really wants to go, there are just too many spots to try out
They don't need yet another review telling you how amazing they are. So, I'll just warn you, an order of pancakes is more than enough for three people. You want to eat them all, because they are truly delicious (no strange baking soda aftertaste, great fillers, fantastic batter, and a myriad of options, etc.) They arrive looking like a 3 layer birthday cake and there is simply no way to eat an order alone.
Tasty. The french toast is less impossible to finish, although it is still quite a large portion. The original F.Toast is also wonderful with great texture and oh so tasty. Weekdays are pretty easy for seating, but weekends can be impossible.
Definitely some of the best french toast ever! I ate the peanut butter french toast and it was DELICIOUS! I usually eat all of my food at every meal, but it was SO huge I couldn't!
There was a wait for about 30 minutes and a crowd out the door on a weekend morning. I liked the atmosphere, it definitely gave me a taste of West Hollywood.
MMMMM That french toast with peanut butter was AMAZING!!
I love, love, love Griddle Cafe!
I have never had anything I have not liked. From the excellent French Press coffee (request your favorite flavored syrup), to the Hueves Rancheros (Tequila Sunrise), to the amazing pancakes (I dream about the Yellow Brick Road!).
You will never leave hungry and you will always have about 2 pounds of pancakes in a to go box for later. Their portions are huge!
I usually come here for breakfast on the weekends and there is usually a long line. Coming very early or past the lunch hour cuts down the wait. The wait is definitely worth it! I usually order something sweet (pancakes!) and convince my understanding boyfriend to order something savory so I can have it all!
The Griddle is also a great place to bring out of towners. Everyone always leaves full bellied and smiling!
My trip to The Griddle was so highly anticipated that we woke up early Sunday morning and arrived at 7:45 AM to ensure we would be seated immediately upon their 8AM opening. We got the metered space directly in front and lined up once we notice a line beginning to form. 10 minutes later we were seated in a booth eager to order what was sure to be an excessive and oversized breakfast.
The wait staff is very nice, but very busy and by 8:15 the restaurant was jam-packed, so it's good to know what you plan on ordering by the time your waiter comes around. First off, I give a lot of credit to The Griddle for not only making great pancakes and french toast, but also not slacking on other important breakfast items such as coffee and bacon.
The coffee can be ordered mild, medium, or dark and each order comes with its own french press. That was great because it was so fresh and there is no need to flag anyone down for refills because your have your own personal press with which to refill your mug.
There were four of us and the orders were as follows. Me: "Tis the Season" Pumpkin Pancakes with pumpkin pie filling. Nothing short of amazing, did not need any syrup, however, as I approached the second half of my full order I began to add syrup to switch up the taste a little. Yes, even half of a full order is far too much for anyone, but when a small order is only $1 less, what's the point?
The "Black Magic" oreo pancakes felt more like a huge oreo filled buttermilk layer cake. This item was most in need of syrup because of the dryness, yet it was still a fantastic order. However, as I took a shot at the leftovers later that night, I began to feel sick. Nonetheless, this item is so rich and filling my brother failed to make it past the one-quarter point of his stack.
The "Apple Cobbler" french toast. Wow, what is that in the bread? Cinnamon crunch pieces, please explain? We determined it was none other than bits of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal! Wow, so good. So, so good that the baked cinnamon apples on the side were immediately an afterthought.
The "Chocolate Chip Cookie" crusted french toast. This was probably my favorite. If you like Chips Ahoy! cookies and french toast, look no further. This is simply a match made in heaven.
Lastly, the sides. The bananas baked in brown sugar were a nice touch, but totally unecessary. However, the bacon was thick and crispy, just done perfectly.
I think I will definitely order french toast next time. I was informed by the waiter that he has only seen a full stack of pancakes finished off twice before. He thought I was on pace to do so. I am convinced it would not have been a problem if I wasn't such a fan of the two french toast orders at my table.
Oh well, maybe next time? I doubt it.
The Griddle Cafe would easily get 5 stars from me, but I have difficulty knowing when to put the fork down and this is the type of place where you need to know when to stop. I have far too many things on the menu left to try and unfortunately you really can only try one dish per visit.
Looks like I'll be coming back and leaving in discomfort sometime very soon.
OH MY French toast, peanut butter, bacon, champagne, huge pancake mother in law LOVING CHRIST!! Yes, it's breakfast, and yes, it's that gawdamn good....
Quick drive to West Hollywood on a bright, beautiful Sunday morning with my little princess and mom in law! Wife had to stay home with my newborn baby boy! =) The huge crowd of people waiting outside the restaurant was a good sign in my opinion, we head in through the back and only wait about 20 mins for a table...not too shabby. Place is stacked to the rafters http://static.px.yelp.... The douschebags are out in full force this Sunday as I do my best to not stare....
Mom in law gets the French pressed coffee ($3.75) and the Good Ol' Fashioned stack o' buttermilk pancakes ($7.95) Princesa has the cup of fresh fruit ($1.95) I go with the semi acceptable morning consumption of alcohol since its fruit mixed with champagne.....raspberry infused bubbly ($7.95) Peanut Butter Crunchy French Toast ($11.95) and a side of Bacon ($4.95) of course!
Champagne's got fresh raspberries in it and is quite tasty....I sip away as my mom in law and I yell at each other.....just cuz' it's so damn loud in there...we get along....really! My French Toast arrives http://static.px.yelp.... and it's a mini beast! Thick egg dipped bread then dipped in peanut butter crunch and grilled to perfection...topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream...I felt like a kid again and devoured almost the whole damn thing! By far...the best french toast I've ever had! The four thick cut slices of bacon were divine....AND I let my daughter try bacon for the first time today....she LOVED IT! A milestone in any father-daughter relationship....
Mom in law enjoyed her coffee and said the pancakes http://static.px.yelp.... were great but was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer gigantosity (is that a word?) of the flapjacks! Baby enjoyed her fruit cup.....but not nearly as much as daddy's bacon...we ended up fighting over the last slice of hog. I won. =)
Aha! I told the wife I was trying to write a "clean" review and I succeeded! I just can't figure out why my mom in law ate so little of her ginormous pancakes....I mean I've never had a problem putting huge things in my mouth.....oh gawdammit.
"Worth The Wait"
[First impression]
Whoa! Look at those portions!
Good thing we had a chance to see the portions while waiting in line is all I have to say. The smell in the place is just outrageously mouthwatering. Not ever wanting to waste food, their single portions and sides are a plus! The pancakes alone are the size of a large pizza! No joke. Wish we had bigger appetites but all the more reason to come back the next time we're in town.
[Suggestion]
*For two- get the oversize single portion of banana nana and mom's french toast. It's plenty of food. Don't forget the nutella on the side.
[Tip(s)]
*A lot of the meters for street parking is broken so don't risk getting a ticket. There is a parking lot behind the restaurant or drive further down past the parking lot-- there's a lot of free parking on the street near the apartment complexes.
My buddy Evan is a weird guy that makes me laugh so milk comes out my nose. And together we luuuuuv to go to the Griddle, because the enormous sized entrees make us laugh, and its a great place to have comfortable conversations with a friend over good breakfast food. We always sit up at the counter so Elle (? I think that's her name) can take care of us. We LOVE her and her personality. We never feel rushed out even though the place is cray packed all the time.
I love the coffee and the pancakes... i just try not to think too hard about the caloric intake! Go eat here! Sit with lovely Elle!
The place would be 5 stars if the wait wasn't so long and the service a bit quicker. Came here on a Sunday around 1pm and had 5 people.
TIP: If you have 6 or more, you can make a reservation.
We should have found a bum off the street so we could have 6 and make that resevation because we waited for about an hour. We ended up getting the best table in the house, a large booth in the back left corner, but it wa a long wait.
The food was excellent. The pancakes are large and you get a lot of them. I had the pesto shrimp melt which was great. It came with large pieces of bread and surely was enough for 2 meals. Their steak fries are great and remind me of Red Robin fries.
Our food did take a while to come out but their kitchen is small and it was packed as usual. Great things can't be rushed I guess.
Great food, but always a wait, good place to bring out of town company who get a thrill out of seeing C and D list celebs- huge portions!
Holy sweet jesus, there are about 1000 square inches of pancakes in every order - 1000 sq in of eat-until-you-explode delicious pancakes. Even my cappuccino was deliciously oversized.
On a weekday, there isn't really a wait. The only reason I can't give them 5 stars is that the service was pretty spotty. Since it could take about a hundred years to make it through your food, that mostly wasn't a problem. But the waitress dropped off the wrong bill and we had to wait about 10 minutes for her to come back, then another 10 for her to bring back the right one and take our payment.
Have you ever been socked with a pancake before?
That is what it feels like 1/3 in a normal order of Banana Nana. Where some places who serve brunch give you small portions, carefully laid out on a square plate (something which i call "cute food") Griddle Cafe wants you fed... like FED... like a Filipina Grandma who thinks you're getting too skinny and wants you to eat eat eat.
Aside from the big portions, the pancakes were DELICIOUS! Mine was quite fluffy and spongy and i was quite content with that and the French press coffee.
With that said, don't be the rookie patron and order the regular order of three pancakes (unless you plan to share.) You can order one.
Seriously, they are huge. You can blanket a newborn with one... that is if you are that kind of parent.... ahem...
Food: 2.5 stars
Service: 2 stars
Ambiance: 3 stars
Noise: 5 stars
Price: 4 Stars (our total $26 before tip)
With over 700 reviews I can hardly contribute anything novel at this point so instead I will hope that reiteration will translate into listened warnings for my disappointed sentiments are laced throughout the plethora of quality yelp reviewers.
Slightly tough pancakes + sub par omelets + impolite and forgetful staff + notoriously gigantic portions + tasty french press coffee + real maple syrup just does not equal an 1 hour wait where you're herded like cattle against a cement wall. So no matter how you divide, multiple, add, or subtract, it's just not worth the wait. Even higher math theory can't save you here.
Even if you wanted to wait inside to catch the football game...NOPE says midget host man...cause if you miss your names that's too bad for you!
So there you are, left with the decision to eat outside surrounded by disheartened famished patrons waiting in anticipation for their name to be called like it's the first round draft pick or to be packed inside in a cloak of chaos trapped by brick wall.
The highlight is the french press coffee-richly roasted and full bodied. TIP: Let the it steep 3-4 minutes before applying steady pressure and pressing down the plunger. Hold the lid when pouring to avoid a mess (Saw a not so lucky patron, no it wasn't me).
Banana Nana Pancakes: Notable selection and variety and worthy of the prefix PAN, but the truth is that what you're really getting are slightly tough and tasteless pancakes that are dull to the taste buds that you'll have to endure forever because they're huge. I guess I can't blame them, it's hard to not accidentally overwork the batter when you're making them by the industrial bucket.
Omlette "My Soul" (with egg whites): With poorly distributed chunks of chicken and random pockets of jack cheese folded into fluffy bland egg whites and then topped with a skimpy dusting of salsa...I know my soul was not anywhere close to heaven after trying to eat this. Please don't order this, go for the scramble next time, it looks much more promising.
Fruit: Not fresh at all and probably not a good idea to eat it.
Service: HA HA HA So I completely understand they're stressed, overwhelmed and peeved by the constant, "When are you gonna call us?" inquiries, but I think they're just so obnoxious here and there's no excuse. The hosts are abrasive and sarcastic, while the servers are just too overworked to be attentive. She never even asked how our food was or if we needed anything. All morning I was conflicted by who or when a good time to ask for a little more salsa, but I never did because I was too scared...
If you want a a lot of average food for about 30 bucks and like crowded spaces and waits, then Griddle Cafe is for you. There are so many other places in LA that have french press coffee and real maple syrup, that I'm just going to have to move on.
Perfect French press coffee and Original French toast
(perfect batter with a good shake of powdered sugar)
Friends ordered the nutella dredged french toast i witnessed her gain 3 pounds on the spot. traumatizing.
Just back from Peru, my friend calls and says, "Let's go to Gorilla Cafe!" Wracking my brain, I feel ashamed. Gorilla Cafe, Gorilla Cafe? I'm no fan of WeHo, admittedly, except for the shopping on Melrose, and drooling over the architecture in Hancock Park, which I suppose just doesn't count. So how am I supposed to know all the cute little cafes?
And then I placed it: GRIDDLE CAFE! I'd had it bookmarked for a year. So I drove over to said friend's house (which straddles West Hollywood and Hollywood proper, so it's cool), and we walked the four blocks to Griddle to avoid the horrendous parking situation (one star gone - and I started today's review with an arbitrary but optimistic four), arriving at about noon. Walking in, everyone was surprisingly friendly (add one star - we're back to four). We sit at the counter, which was nice - there were options as to where to sit, too - FIVE STARS!
We talked, eventually got some attention from a rather rad counter waiter guy.
The menu was extensive and ... expensive (one star off - overpricedness - four stars). I ordered a raspberry champagne drink (mimosa with fruit - delicious - one star - FIVE!).
After a while, we decided on savory food, as opposed to those gigantor pancakes which just seem extraneous and arrogant in my politically correct mind. We ordered breakfast tacos, to be precise. I chose the Sunset Hipster (one star off for having to say that ridiculous name - down to four), which is shrimp or chicken, cheddar, bbq sauce, red onions, with refried beans or tortilla chips made in house. She got some with eggs.
This arrived and it was flavorful, large, and ... sloppy. I think the cooks should grill or at least heat the tortillas (flour Mission brand-type floppy tortillas), instead of just folding them over. Three stars.
Service is good, though we didn't get a chance to specify beans over tortilla chips (we got chips).
The French press iced coffee made my heart sing, until I saw the bill. $50 lunch, oops (for two).
Mimosas, though, don't forget. And I took home half my food. And a ramiken. Shhhh. I tip fat. Ramikens are like 25 cents. That sour cream in the Ramiken? $1.50. Hey.
Let me digest my banana pancakes, nutella stuffed french toast, and mimosas and I'll get back to you on how delicious everything was and how friendly EVERYONE was :)
Great place with Good Eats, but beware of the wait. Luckily we came during a weekday, so their was no wait until the late crowd came along.
I suggest you come here with a big appetite. Come to the Griddle Cafe starving because the servings are HUGE!!!
OMG...we are a family of four and we ordered the following:
The Goldend Ticket - Banana, Walnut, Streusel, Caramel, and Whip Cream pancake. Yummy yummy in the Tummy delish!!!
Now mind you this was a 3 stack pancake that literally covered the plate. My eyes were not deceiving me. I was only able to eat a pizza slice worth and the passed it on to my husband.
The Breakfast Burrito - This was also huge and came with a side of tortilla chips, sour cream, and slices of Avacado. Husband was only able to eat a 1/4 of the burrito. This too was delish!
The Original Griddle pancake - My boys ordered this plain and mind you this was for a 10 year old and a 5 year old and there eyes opened wide once they saw how big they were. They very much enjoyed it.
I also enjoyed the coffee - fresh pressed coffee nice and hot.
We definitley plan on coming back to try other items on the menu.
GRIDDLE CAFE definitley will not dissapoint.
OMG- if there is such thing as too much food, we had it.
i ordered the golden ticket pancakes. wooooooooooooooooowwww
i aint never had a pancake more delicious.
here is a tip: go with friends, go when you are starving, and only order two things because its more than enough to share.
between 3 people we ate less than half of ONE of three pancakes. LOL
Bring your appetite and remember to share!! The 3 of us did just that and still could not finish our food.
French Press Coffee (http://www.yelp.com/bi...): with complimentary refills. Choice of mild, medium or dark roast. Mmmm...dark. Too bad it was 3pm already, otherwise I would've had more than one pot.
Caballero (http://www.yelp.com/bi...): one of the popular breakfast items. A burrito filled with eggs, cheese, potatoes, green chiles, and chicken chorizo. Then topped with sour cream, salsa and avocado. And served with tortilla chips. Very hearty, although it lacked a bit of kick. Tapatio to the rescue! =D
Poached y Papas Benedict (http://www.yelp.com/bi...): another raved item. Looks are deceiving. Honestly, it didn't look like much. Huge potato skins topped with thick slice of baked ham topped with 2 poached eggs topped with hollandaise sauce. But omg, it was sooo good! The potato skins are perfectly baked so it holds up to the incredible thick and creamy hollandaise sauce. Potato, ham, egg, sauce. The perfect bite! *droools*
A Time to Love (http://www.yelp.com/bi...): more like time to unbutton my pants. 3, 12 inch diameter pancakes filled with streusel, butterscotch chips and caramel, topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream and more caramel. Soo fluffy and surprisingly not overwhelmingly sweet. Felt bad for wasting it, but it was just too much food. Here's how far we got. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
I like it here. Very laidback. Down-to-earth staff too! =)
My group of five was able to score a table outside, which was great and the food and service was good. As many people have mentioned, their pancakes are ridiculously large and they have a wide variety to choose from. I am a coffee everyday person and their French press standard at the table was excellent.
If I had a complaint it would be the bathroom. This place definitely seems to be a post-hangover joint and the bathroom on the day I went proved that.
OMFG. Be forewarned - your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar will probably jump at least 10 points after you eat here. Simultaneously. That being said...
FOOD: Awesome f*cking breakfast comfort food. Their pancakes are riduculous - BIGGER than the plates they are served on and come in every flavor you could imagine sober or stoned (I mean c'mon... pancakes with FROSTED FLAKES in them? who'd have thunk?). However, being a salty-and-spicy kinda gal, I am always a sucker for their egg dishes, which are huge enough to last two meals (even for me, who is a pretty hefty eater!). I should be more adventurous but I always order the Caballero breakfast burrito without chorizo...so friggin delish!!!
PRICES: Look pretty expensive on the menu (between $15-$20 per dish on average) but, as mentioned earlier, considering that you could split most dishes into two meals I'd say it's really not bad.
AMBIENCE: Very, very crowded and noisy. Not the most pleasant. Don't come here if you're wanting to talk to people in a comfortable environment. Everyone is more or less here for the food. And the wait, especially on Sunday mornings when everyone is looking for a hangover cure, is a b*tch.
PARKING: Not bad, actually - you can park in the lot behind Rite Aid and enter the restaurant from the back entrance.
All in all, I'm glad I live close to the Griddle... but I'm sure my heart and waistline aren't.
When I have friends or family in town, even if for only a couple days, I always find time for The Griddle.
Pros: The atmosphere is alive and moving, the menu choices are never ending, huge and shareable portions, nearly everything on the menu is DELICIOUS.
Cons:Usually a wait, sometimes slow service, parking can be a bitch, seating is a little tight.
Favorite Menu items:Grilled Shrimp and Pesto Melt, Yellow Brick Road Pancakes, Peanut Butter French Toast, The Big T Melt (Tuna Melt), and The Spicy Cobb.
Aaamazing! I can't remember the last time I've gone out to eat breakfast, but I'd definitely come here to eat breakfast any day! This place exceeded my expectations, especially with their delicious coffee and stomach-upset-free breakfast food!
I came here with Mark S. on a Sunday morning, and we came at around 9ish, just before it got really busy. We were seated at the counter and immediately approached by our waiter. Pretty friendly staff.
Here's what we ordered:
Medium French-press Coffee ($3.75) -- Got a medium from the recommendation of the waiter. Their menu was right -- it was great-tasting coffee! Perhaps the best coffee I've tried (that wasn't ice-blended). I added a bit of cream and one packet of organic sugar to it, and it just hit the spot!
"Poached y Papas" Benedict ($12) -- I had a certain craving for Eggs Benedict and I was so happy when I saw this on the menu! Perfectly poached egginess on top of a generous slice of ham and four potato skins. If that wasn't a mouthful to say, it was definitely a mouthful to eat! I enjoyed it very much and didn't get any sort of upset stomach, which is a great bonus! Definitely a good pick, and the Hollandaise sauce added a nice extra eggy and creaminess to the dish.
"Caballero" ($12) -- Pretty good, and very filling! Mark S. ordered this and I tried some of it. It's basically a Mexican-style omelette with eggs, chicken chorizo, chiles, cheddar, etc. topped with sour cream, avocado, and salsa, and altogether wrapped in a ginormous flour tortilla! Served with tortilla chips, which weren't so bad. Not a bad item, but I liked the Benedict more.
Coming here from the OC makes this place a great day-trip destination! It's right on Sunset Blvd, too, making it all the more awesome. Great service, too.
NOTE: The place isn't too big, so come here with small parties of 2 or 3 and make plans to share dishes; the proportions are huge!
I don't know what I expected, but I think I just expected more than I got.
Look, it's all very tasty-looking. I mean, how could it not be? It's fat, salt, sugar and candy, for crissakes.
But here's the thing. I like my food to be food. Not dessert masquerading as food.
The blueberry pancakes were delicious...as cake. They were cake. They weren't pancakes. I cut out a wedge, and it would've been terrific...as a light cake.
I had an egg and sausage dish and the sausage was seriously horrible. It tasted like 99c store hot dogs cut into pieces, and mixed up with some eggs. My colleague had a pesto scramble which she said was ok, and my other colleague had waffles. I can't speak for their meal, but mine was AWFUL and bland. I guess because I didn't order butterscotch smothered whipped cream choco-pancakes.
I can put butterscotch whippedcream chocolate into a pancake and it'll be tasty. It's not exactly innovative or even hearty and satisfying. But to eff up scrambled eggs, spinach, tomato and sausage? That's sort of amazing. There's no excuse for starting off with crappy ingredients and fooling your customer with piles and piles of junk food.
I mean, yeah, this is America. A place with gargantuan portions and full of empty-calorie HFCS-based products is going to succeed, of course.
But it just won't be on my list of go-to brunch or lunch spots.
Fellow Yelpers Sida B. and Eddie W. recommended this place to me. Realizing it'd probably get super busy, Charlene P. and I left early in the morning, trekkin' here from Irvine, CA to check out the hype. We pulled in around 9:15 AM (it was Sunday; they open at 8 AM) and were seated promptly at the counter. Service was super quick, and we started out with coffee ($3.75). Out came a French coffee press and our waiter instructed us to wait two minutes before pushing down on the press. On Griddle Cafe's website, they say it's the freshest cup of coffee around, and man - it was the best cup of coffee I've ever had! Granted, the $3.75 price tag was hella steep, it was still pretty legit.
So I decided to choose the Caballero (~$12). A few moments later a huge ass breakfast burrito came out with some tortilla chips on the side. There was an avocado on top and some sour cream and salsa on the side. I cut open the burrito and am so glad the tortilla is not that thick; the insides are pouring out. I take a bite and man, it's bomb! The chips were nice too. It was a bomb breakfast burrito - not too salty at all. Everything just tasted so good; I even took a bite out of Charlene P.'s poached eggs with holladaise sauce...BOMB.
Overall, the meal was super delicious, but also somewhat expensive. We spent about $40 including tip on two people. Damn. Also I saw some people around us getting those ridiculously big pancakes. Personally - coming from me, the Professional Fat Arse himself - HALF of one of those pancakes would've done me in. And I'm not even a fan of pancakes mind you. On a side note, this definitely looks like the kind of place that should be on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives ("Where they're doing pancakes their own way"). Also everyone here looks like a movie star. Pretty crazy!
If you want bomb breakfast food that'll fill you up to this brink of insanity, check out this place!!!
Hallelujah for those sweet, sweet words, "Breakfast Served All Day". Especially so when it's Griddle Cafe's brekkie we're talkin' about!!
I literally can not think of any other breakfast serving establishment - and I mean anywhere in the country - that has a breakfast menu so robust, so craveworthy, so pancakelicious that it would warrant me yearning to eat their dishes morning, noon AND night.
Get in line (yes, there is guaranteed to be one), put your name in, and then prepare for breakfast blast off. You'll quickly notice the plethora of pancake options... do not ignore them, these are the pinnacle of pancakery and the fundamental building block of Griddle's existence. Even as a lukewarm pancake enthusiast (I'm more of an eggs gal, m'self), I've been converted and positively adore these specialty gargantuan cakes.
Oh yeah, no short stacks here... every order of pancakes is piled 3 high and hella wide. Like half the table wide. Ideal for sharing? Perhaps. But as mentioned earlier, you'll be craving these puppies all day long... take home your leftovers and indulge in the most indulgent reheats for lunch, dinner and midnight snack!! My personal favorite is the "Banana Nana" with brown sugar baked bananas cooked right into the light, fluffy batter. Oh Mama!! With Pumpkin Pie Pancakes, everyday can be a Holiday at the Griddle... or satiate your ultimate sweet tooth with the likes of Nutella stuffed cakes, Oreo topped cakes or even the Chocolate and Coconut filled 'Mounds of Pleasure' cakes. How d'ya like those sugar lumps?
Fabulously sinful and good any time of the day, the Griddle Cafe gets my super seal of approval. Oh, and whaddya know, even a spot that specializes in pancakes serves up the best breakfast tacos, too. Try the 'kicking and screaming' variety... filled with eggs, jack cheese, chipotle cream sauce and topped with avocado and refried beans, it's the ideal savory accompaniment to your pancake pandemonium.
This is the best cure to your LA hangover. Although the line will probably make you sick because there is always a long wait, it will be well worth it. After a night of fear and loathing in Hollywood, throw on the shades and head to the Griddle to refresh yourself with a bloody Mary or bubbly Mimosa and hearty breakfast.
French toast is not usually my choice for breakfast, but I come here just for that. The Griddle makes the best French toast ever! Just a warning: the pancakes are disgustingly enormous. They serve lunch food like burgers, sandwiches, and salads as well, but I rarely see anyone eating lunch items even at 2 in the afternoon. Stick to mama's old fashioned French toast!
I HATE BREAKFAST FOOD BUT THIS PLACE IS AN EXCEPTION!
Pros:
-Their pancakes are huge! 2.5 pancakes= 1 of their pancakes.
-They have so many different kinds of french toast and pancakes. I had the Nutella (can't spell it) chocolate french toast and it was like eating dessert for breakfast! It was dense, crispy on the outside and soft of the inside... chewy too!
-The egg & potato benedict is great also. Really heavy after sharing the french toast. It was yum! Potatoes were crispy and seasoned topped with thick ham, eggs and sauce!
-Great breakfast food. I'll be coming back for sure.
Cons:
-Make sure you read the street signs before you park.
-French toast (no sides) + Benedict (no sides)= $27 (excluding tip). It's a bit pricey for breakfast considering we only got water but it's worth it.
-There is no such thing as personal space here. It was busy and we all practically sat next to one another.
I've been here only a couple times so my review is from the point of view of a novice. Both visits I came away happy and satisfied. The pancakes are gi-normous! Like bigger than my face! The size doesn't take away from the taste though IMO. They are fluffy still and not overcooked considering how big they are. I've had regular pancakes and the banana pancakes. Both so great. Sitting outside was also nice because the people watching can be fun.
It does feel a little cramped there though. So that's something I'm not a fan of. Although I think there are some back rooms for larger groups so that might be the way to go if you go with friends. The service is a hit or miss too...I think it's because of the crowds they can get. Especially on weekends.
I will be going back again very soon!
Oh My Gosh!!!
Get their french toast. You will die! Best french toast of my life!
Only issue - the wait on busy days!
If you eat right, food coma is guaranteed.
Among a group of 4 we split the following:
1. The Golden Ticket: My favorite of the meal, but I might be biased since I LOVE bananas in baked goodies. These pancakes are GINORMOUS... 2x the size of my face!! maybe 3x... They were moist and even pretty good as leftovers.
2. "Addicted to Noisella" Stuffed French Toast: Chocolatey, Chewy, amazing stuff
3. Mom's French Toast: Your basic french toast, I didnt think there was anything mind-blowingly good about it, but it was good nonetheless! In general, I think the french toasts had better texture and were more well made than the waffles and the pancakes.
4. "The Griddle" Waffle: Again, your basic waffle
5. Tequila Sunrise: Nice contrast to all the sweet stuff. The sausages were flavorful and tasty!
All in all, a great brunch experience!
I must say though.. the best pancakes I've ever had were from Pastis in NYC...
I thought it was great, i've heard horror stories about the wait but i guess i just lucked out i only had to wait about 10 minutes for a party of two which is nothing after living in ny. the service was great, our waiter got us a free round of bloody marys. this may be something they do for everyone, but i felt special.
the food was out of this world, i got some kahlua and baileys pancakes that could have fed 3 people, but instead lasted me 3 meals. and my girlfriend got some spicy egg/cheese/and chicken sausage concoction. it's hard to say which was better so i'd suggest you get one egg dish and one cake dish and share, and if you bring a third i hear the french toast is to die for!
my boyfriend and i came here on a whim. we were looking for a good place for brunch so i went on yelp and voila this placed popped up. we were surprised at how big the portions were. when we walked in we saw everyone with their pancakes. i was tempted to order one, but i was really in the mood for waffles with strawberry and that's exactly what i got. he ordered something completely diff. he got eggs. potatoes and ham. it was really yummy. there was this cream thing on my waffles that i wasn't too fond of. but the waffles itself were really light and fluffy and the strawberries were really fresh.
The Griddle makes it worth getting up in the morning : ) This place tops ALL breakfast joints, hands down.
We came here a year ago and cant stop telling people about it. We tried coming back here last month to bring the family on labor day morning (HAA! yeah... what were we thinking?! ...2 hour wait lol). But its ok, it just confirms how flippin awesome the place is. Its not your average breakfast place though. The breakfasts all have 'creative' ingredients and the portions are massive. Order to spilt!
SO anyway, came here last week with the outta-towners to (pretty much) show off how we do breakfast @ the griddle : ) We got:
---- the 'Hear me roar' pancakes (strawberries & frosted flakes in the mix!)
---- the 'Tis the season Holy moly' pancakes (pumpkin & whole wheat batter... which was actually amazing!)
----the Nutella french toast (pretty much chocolate heaven)
----and the Pomodoro omelet (with cheese, garlic, tomatoes..oh man... so amazing).
Also, we all had about 4 cups ea. of the yummiest french press coffee on our table... it was so delicious. Oh and our waiter was awesome. Very cool guy, accommodating and overall fantastic customer service.
This is a major must for anyone that LOVES breakfast!
The Griddle serves pancakes that are dinner plate sized and stacked 3 high. **SUGGESTION** You can order just 1 pancake instead of 3. Three is too much for 1 person. I have tried different ones, all great!
Breakfast is also great. Apple smoked bacon, eggs any way you like them, fantastic hash browns (keep in mind, it has onion in them).
It looks like it would be a hole in the wall, but it really isn't. It always busy. It's best to come before 9:30, especially if you have a large party. They do have private rooms in the back to accomdate large parties. The host guy is the best. I go every couple of weeks, and somehow he remembers me and just awesome. He is in 5 different places at once but will not forget you.
A must!
if there was a heaven on earth, the griddle would be it!
this place is a Californian legend and has actually become a bit of a tourist destination's the long long long queue to get in on the weekends. however the wait is worth it as the food is just out of this world. hearty, hefty and glistening portions are served quickly considering the masses waiting outside.
the sandwiches are served on the thickest Parmesan bread and stuffed to the rims with ingredients. the grilled cheese is amazing, gooey yet crispy and full of flavoursome cheeses.
the fries are not my cup of tea, way to thick but my boyfriend loves them!
he normally orders from the sandwich list too and is a bit fan of the chicken and avocado.
we recently tried the classic french toast which was delicious although is could have been a little crispier.
he loves this place more than me, and i know if i ever do him wrong i can just bring him here and all will be forgiven.
thumbs up to this joint, definitely one to hit.
Came to Griddle Cafe on a Friday morning before heading up to yosemite. I was surprised at how crowded it was on a Friday morning, don't people work around here? But the crowd wasn't too bad, the place was full but we didn't have to wait for a table! Yippee!!
Griddle Cafe is cute...it's jammed packed with tables close to together your almost touching your neighbors or listening to their conversations which tend to do (bad habit, being nosy). But the place gets pretty loud inside and there are two large TVs on top. There are also some private rooms in the back. Very cool.
I ordered the Fiesta Scamble!! Ole!!! I was sold with Fiesta! The other scramble we ordered was the Chicago Charlie's Scramble. I definitely loved the Fiesta...truly a fiesta en mi boca !!! And the portion is fairly large, I definitely couldn't finish it all. The Chicago Scramble tasted like a chicago dog or something....I think I liked the Fiesta more!
I would definitely come back here!! For the fiesta and perhaps try some pancakes because they looked delish. Also the coffee here was pretty damn good. I always love a place with good coffee.
http://static.px.yelp....
This is my new favorite restaurant in town. If you drive by on an afternoon, you'll see this is no secret, there is always a crowd waiting for a table. I like to go on weekdays when they open at 7am and avoid the crowds. Also you will avoid what can be surly attitude on the part of the crowd wranger that works for the restaurant. I wouldn't want that job, so cut him some slack anyway, OK, and if he gets a chance to know ya he will cut you some slack too I bet.
Since I get there when it opens, I have time for a leisurely breakfast and still can get to work on time, the only drawback being I haven't had the guts yet to try ordering a lunch item at 7AM (the menu DOES say "Served all Day"). True I don't care about the clock and will eat (or drink) anything at any time, so eventually I'll get around to it. It's just that I'm still working my way through the egg dishes (haven't even tried the pancakes yet) right now. Hopefully the lunch cooks are there when it opens and if I order a burger I ain't gonna get some stink eye, but I doubt I have any worries there.
If you like coffee, a french press is your only option, which is awesome, but be fore-informed. You get your choice of mild, medium or strong brew. In the afternoon, there will be various chili choices depending on the day (if you're ordering a dish with chili), however so far the ones I've tried have been rather unusual in flavor and kind of detract from the meal, so maybe avoid the chili if you're a first-timer. I haven't seen any chilis listed at opening (another reason maybe I should avoid ordering lunch at 7AM but we'll see...)
To impress your friends and family have them order the pancakes and gasp in awe at their sheer size and volume, besides, most people order pancakes anyway. Me, I'll get around to them eventually I'm sure, but I prefer a Du-Par's sort of pancake experience and besides I never get tired of eggs.
You will hear some bluesy rock and roll on the speakers all the time and you get a feeling this place has it's own raison-d'etre and will leave its mark on history and don't even begin to ask me what the heck that meant, sorry.
If you are looking for my personal non-pancake recommendation, I recommend getting the Pomodoro Omlette, which is filled with garlic sauteed tomato, basil and Parmesan (unfortunately the Parmesan cheese doesn't usually melt completely). Make sure to add shrimp to that, it's a must!
If you live nearby here consider yourself lucky. If you eat here that is!
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Neighborhood: Beverly Hills
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Neighborhood: Glendale
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Category: Diners
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Category: Breakfast & Brunch
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