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Griddle Cafe
Category: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
7916 W Sunset BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90046
Neighborhoods: Hollywood, West Hollywood
(323) 874-0377
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 4 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
2122 reviews for Griddle Cafe
Review Highlights
"LOVE LOVE LOVE their red velvet pancake."
(in 117 reviews)
"MMMMM That french toast with peanut butter was AMAZING."
(in 781 reviews)
"My new fave is the POACHED y PAPAS BENEDICT."
(in 65 reviews)
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2122 reviews in English
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Review from Georg R.
Los Angeles, CA
2/8/2012
The breakfast they serve is delicious and incredibly filling. They take the cake in pancake quite literally. Some plates come out with three inch-thick pancakes that are spilling over the plate. It's rare that I finish an entire serving there, which leads to formidable doggy-bag breakfasts for the next week.
If you're coming with friends, which you should (since the atmosphere lends itself perfectly to that), expect to stand in line for a while, especially during the weekends for brunch time. But the wait is ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT! -
Review from Dayne D.
VALLEY VILLAGE, CA
2/6/2012
I have never tasted a better waffle in my entire life.
Everyone is hell bent on getting the red velvet pancakes or nutella French toast, but try asking for one waffle. It will change your life. -
Review from Jennifer W.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
Mmmmmmmmmm! This was delish! While in LA this past weekend I was craving some good breakfast and found this place on yelp and I was not disappointed!
We got there not long after it opened and it was busy already but were seated right away at the counter and within 10 minutes the joint was packed.
It's divey alright, as another yelper or two mentioned, but I liked that fact, but what I liked even better was that the crowd was a total hodge podge of edgy hipsters to yuppy-ish families, couples, etc...everyone seemed to fit in just fine.
Oh, the waiters were all pretty tasty too. :) I could have stayed for a 3rd pot of coffee just to watch them work.
Onto the food....i had the blueberries pancake, it was really good, though I should have branched out. My husband had the banana nana one and he was amazed. We shared some bacon....mmmmmm, meaty goodness.
The COFFEE, OMG, loved it. You pick your roast, mild, medium or bold and they bring you a french press all for yourself, it was really great coffee, such a nice change from burnt diner coffee that you get at most breakfast joints.
The next time we're back we'll definitely hit this place up again.
4 stars only because it was a bit pricey considering you're ordering pancakes which I make all the time, from scratch, and wow, their markup is up there! (but I'd pay it again) -
Review from Lily P.
Amazing breakfast..
the banana pancake (we got 1 pancake to split not the normal order of 3). You should really look into getting smaller portions and trying more things. This was amazing and tasted like bananas but was moist and fluffy. We also got 1/2 order french toast which was a large amt...maybe too much butter on it but you can remove the blob. This was also perfectly cooked on the outside crispy and then moist everywhere else (we got the normal french toast). We didn't want any of our dishes to be insanely sweet. We got a side order of the bacon (crispy..thick slices...a large portion). We got orange juice and cofee too. Cofee comes in a french press and gives you about 3 cups? The waiters were pretty damn good looking and there was still a wait at 2pm..but by 230 you could walk and get seating. -
Review from Jannifer H.
San Francisco, CA
Ugh... I came here because of the high yelp ratings... boy i was disappointed...
Venue: The wait was around 30min-1hr for 8 people during breakfast time... Looks like a typical american diner with some hip looking waiters.
Service: Waiters were pretty nice and and laid back.
Food:
- Gone Shrimping (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - $12.90 Shrimp with egg whites, avocado and tomatoes. Sounds like something i make at home. Nooo.... it was surprisingly very bland. Tasted like they forgot to add salt and seasoning..
- Cobb Omelette (http://s3-media1.ak.ye...) - $11.95 the way the made this omelette looks super fluffy. I was deceived again! It's almost like they put all the salt from the Gone Shrimping dish and put it in here instead. SUPER SALTY!!
- Eyes Wide Open Pancake (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - $9.95 BIG pancakes! Espresso flavor with semi sweet chocolate. Didnt taste any espresso at all. Overall, poor quality pancake.
Price: Price reasonably for breakfast food.
Overall: Never coming back again... Maybe it was my luck.. i went on July 4th day... Food was horrible!Listed in: Don't Waste My Time OR My…
-
Review from Micole C.
Los Angeles, CA
2/5/2012
Ok I went here yesterday morning..love it! i am a such a stickler for customer service. ok parking sucks but in that area i was honestly expecting that.. i honestly lucked up on a broken meter so i was straight. I had never been here before but was meeting a friend who wanted to come here. I walk up and just stand in line. This guy comes out and he is putting people in line so he asks do i want to get on the list i say yes. put name down, well turns out our party had more people than i knew anyway i had to tell him to add. point is we had to move to another area, but the guy was super nice called me by name and politely told me we were on the wrong side.
After about a 40 minute wait we go inside, since i party was large we were led to the back room (champagne room!!!) no for real it was really dark, crushed velvet booth with beads for the door, but who doesnt want their own private room in a restaurant so it was a ok with me and after seeing how squeezed in people in the front room were i was glad we were in the back, private room, plenty of space.
I ordered red velvet pancake, pork sausage, coffee... I didnt taste any Pan in that Cake just tasted like cake but it was delicious...did i finish it? of course not!! it was way too big, sausage yummy, french press coffee, reallllly yummy.. i was happy with my meal. My friend didnt like her turkey sausage and didnt/wouldnt eat it so i tasted a piece and umm yeah something wasnt right. it was chewy, had a funny taste and was almost gamey like it wasnt turkey hmmm something to think about. i also tried a piece of that nutella french toast ..didnt like it...maybe it was the nutella?? ive never had nutella before and dont know what it taste like but ive have french toast before thats why im blaming the nutella lol
our server was super cool. his name was Michael, he was real chill. The guy who does the names thing also really cool and laid back and nice. Every time I ran into him during my time there (omw to b-room or to my car and when i left) he called me by name like oh excuse me ____, bye ____, like i said im a stickler for customer service.
anyway def worth checking out. I will definitely return i just need to find when its less crowded :) -
Review from Allie L.
Honolulu, HI
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Where I'm from, there are two breakfast joints known for their pancakes. I can barely remember the names of these places because I'd much rather have my next pancake at Griddle instead.
We went on a Wednesday around 11. Luckily, we had no wait. Parking is behind at Rite Aid, easy to find. We were seated quickly, greeted by a nice waiter and immediately honed in on the Oreo pancakes. Black Magic. HOLY CRAP I NEVER WANT TO EAT ANOTHER PANCAKE AGAIN! It's fluffy, Oreo-y,
doesn't even need syrup. I'd want that as my birthday cake. Coffee comes in a French press, which I love. Our Mexican omlette was awesome, I'm a sucker for green chiles and guac. Next time I'm in LA, I'm going back. -
Review from Alice K.
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Service: 5
Food: 5
Price: 4
Cleanliness of bathroom: n/a
There will be a wait.
But it will be worth your time.
Park in the Rite Aid parking lot (Griddle will validate up to three hours), get your name down on the wait list, and go across the street to The Coffee Bean for a cup of coffee. Come back at an appropriate time with your entire party and be seated. Order. Drool. Get food. Eat. Be full and satisfied.
There are some wild specialty pancakes - red velvet, oreo, butterscotch-filled goodness... ones with liquor mixed into the batter. Really, go crazy. The pancakes are also ginormous and will be enough to satisfy two people.
We ordered the Scotch on the rocks, which was delicious even though I don't like butterscotch, the Poached y Papas Benedict (hollandaise sauce was so great), the Mamma Mia burger and the original French Toast. The french toast was delicious. Delicious.
My companion commented on the hipster-ness of the place. I can see that. It's definitely Hollywood, with diners ranging from the preppy to the goth punk to the muscular body builders. It's also quite loud, but this will only aid in waking you up. It's not like you need a quiet, soothing, romantic place early in the morning, anyway. You do? That's strange... but think of it this way. Once the food comes out, all your attention will solely be on it and on no other. You and your french toast will be in your own little world. Even the hipsters can't ruin that. -
Review from Miguel R.
1/28/2012
GARGANTUAN food portions do not necessarily = GOOD FOOD!
The omelette we got was just scrambled eggs over "omelette filling" - Oh so not appealing! We got the bleu cheese and something else omelette. Unmemorable at best. Some people don't care because they think that food goes in and comes out the same everytime! Some people do not care because they get their money's worth! Not me! I am into presentation and this was NOT an omelette!
The Nutella French Toast was really, really ridiculously good though! Yes, I would write home about it. Then again, I am a Nutella fiend haha - so maybe the review of this is very biased! The portion was gargantuan!
French pressed coffee here! Nice touch! This and the Nutella French Toast make this place a 3 star experience!
This place is a three C's place!
Crowded, Crass and Cramped! If you enjoy being a sardine at breakfast time come here! If you are not a morning person you just may get into a fight! Really, if you love your fellow human beings come here - if not - spend breakfast with Snap, Crackle and Pop!
The decor isn't terribly interesting. Parking can be a problem, so expect to walk a few blocks. Sounds like a really fun thing to do in the morning huh?
There are long waits for this place btw! What is it with Americans and their love affair with breakfast? Eggs are so MEH!!!! -
Review from Lissa -.
Los Angeles, CA
1/29/2012
Good: pancakes.
Bad: Divey looking place, long wait on weekends, and super crowded.
If you go, the pancakes are a must. They'll be the size of your head, so you may want to share or just get 1 pancake instead of 3. -
Review from Reeden O.
San Pedro, CA
2/9/2012
Anyone else got food poisoning from eating here? Coz WE DID!!!
I'M EXTREMELY FURIOUS that this place gets such high ratings and yet, after trying it only once, i would say I'M NEVER GOING BACK AGAIN.
We were looking up good breakfast places in LA and this place pops up #2 best breakfast place. We went there and parking was horrible. None of the parking meters worked and we had to spend a looooong time looking for parking.
We ordered the breakfast tacos, french toast, regular pancake and a side of pork sausage. After we ate there and after paying a whopping $59 bucks for 3 adults and a toddler, we decided to go about our day and start running errands. From leaving the Griddle to driving to Downtown LA, 1 of us started feeling queasy. We immediately drove back home because she had major tummy aches and nausea. A couple hours later, another one was throwing up. By late afternoon, both my friends are too weak to even do anything. They couldn't even EAT anything anymore after breakfast.
I called the manager to let him know that we believe is was the PORK SAUSAGE that gave my friends food poisoning because we all shared everything except the pork sausage.
I mean SERIOUSLY. For a place to be getting a lot of traffic, I would never expect them to serve bad sausages but guess what? THEY DID.
So save yourselves all the tummyaches and the puking and GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
Their Gigantoid pancakes are not even that good. -
Review from Jeffrey L.
Valencia, CA
2/7/2012
We visited at noon last Saturday and after a 30 minute wait, we sat down with 20 or so new friends at the counter for one of L.A.'s best breakfasts. despite a lunch menu, about 80 percent of the guests ordered one of the many pancake items. We each had an egg dish, which was a lot easier to finish than a pancake. Don't bother to order two or three unless you plan to feed the three friends you brought. Not cheap, but the genuine maple syrup tells you they are serious about their hotcakes! I need to come back at 3 one weekend and see if anyone has ordered a burger or a sandwich!
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Review from Gordon L.
Portola Valley, CA
2/8/2012
If you're in the mood for a hearty or decadent breakfast, search no more friends. As others have attested to, the red velvet pancakes are unbelievably delicious (so good that they top the pancake off with some of the red velvet batter). I also tried the chocolate chip cookie french toast as well as the apple cobbler waffle. Each of these desert-infused breakfasts are packed with flavor, and are very filling. Their more standard breakfast fair like their scrambles are equally well executed with generous portions. I also could not recommend their eggs benedict enough; it's one of the best I've had! Every dish we ordered was around the $10 range. I went on a Sunday morning around noon with a party of 6 and our wait was only 15 minutes, and we were seated in a cool back room apparently for use by celebrities whenever they come through. I would go back a second time, definitely!
-
Review from Pauline P.
El Monte, CA
Great breakfast location with unique pancake choices, but be prepared to wait!
// LOCATION // The Corner of Sunset and Fairfax.
+Parking: Park in the Rite Aid parking lot. Entrance is off Fairfax. There is no attendant either. You can enter though the back of the restaurant directly from the parking lot.
// WAIT // Went on a Monday which was also the MLK Holiday. Waited approximately 15-20 minutes in line at 2 pm for a party of 2. Your name is written down on a pad and you are instructed to line up in one of two lines (1 line is for parties of two and the other line is for larger parties)
// SERVICE // Friendly, fast, and polite. We noticed everyone working here was male, strangely enough.
// FOOD //
+Red Velvet Pancake: Soft, moist, sweet, and delish. This pancake was like eating a large thin slice of red velvet cake! It was dusted with cocoa powder and drizzled with a generous helping of cream cheese frosting. The frosting that adorned the top became cloyingly sweet towards the end.
+Blueberry Pancake: Amazing. There were so many blueberries strewn throughout the batter that you got some with every bite. The blueberry cream dolloped on top of the pancake was also a winner.
+Hunger Pangs: 3 eggs, griddle potatoes, and ham: The eggs were perfectly cooked and you were given your choice of toast. The ham was salty and on the fattier side but helped to complement the sweetness of our pancakes. The griddle potatoes were dense and not your ordinary hash brown variety, but still tasty.
*tip: Each pancake is huge. One pancake is big enough for two people to share. Therefore, DO NOT order a stack of three and instead order individual pancakes. That way you can try a wider variety of pancakes and not explode after. -
Review from Jessica L.
Rosemead, CA
1/24/2012 2 photos
Ever heard of "Early bird gets the worm"? well this is very true as it comes to Griddle Cafe!
The parking lot is behind and shared with a rite aid. Be sure to get here early because the line does build up, when i arrived that morning with my boyfriend we came in from the backdoor so we saw that the whole restaurant was packed! We were lead to the front of the restaurant and saw there were 2 different lines on opposite sides. One was for groups of 4+ and the other was for singles or couples, and we waited for about 30-45 minutes and boy was it worth it!
We got seated and many people around us were just as eager to sink their teeth into their gigantic pancakes or decadent french toasts or savoy omelets. We ended up ordering the "Creme De La Creme" which was like CHEESECAKE french toast it was crusted with graham cracker crust and boy was it satisfying! and we also ordered the "Chicago Charlie" which were eggs with italian sausage, potatoes, bacon, bell pepper, mozzarella cheese, onions and it was served with garlic bread.
Each dish came out sooo huge that it was impossible for the both of us to finish! but it was soo good. I definitely had a food baby afterwards (:
I will be returning to try more of their good eats! highly recommended! -
Review from Miriam O.
ASTORIA, NY
1/25/2012
The Oreo Cookie pancakes are to die for! They were so yummy and plentiful.
I also ordered a Mexican omelette which was also flavorful and delicious...I can't wait to go again.
All the staff here were extremely nice too. Well run establishment. Definitely a favorite! -
Review from H P.
Pasadena, CA
2/4/2012
Went today for the first time and everything was great until we paid our check. Less than 10 minutes later, we were unceremoniously asked to leave because we were taking up valuable table space. God forbid you'd like to finish your conversation with your table mate before you leave. I guess hospitality is dead.
The food and service was fine, but the kick out the door at the end ensured I would never come back.
Recommend this place for people who want to dine and dash, but not for anyone else who'd like to enjoy their dining experience. -
Review from James S.
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
My Lord, there are some attractive people here, gently shoving crazy amounts of food in their faces. But it's a friendly vibe, with a good degree of noise and action.
Portions, of course, are huge. I tried the banana specialty pancakes of the house. (Be sure to clearly tell your server if you don't want the gloppy butter puck and powdered sugar bath on your pancakes.) The pancakes are firm and tasty, not too sweet, and way more than you can handle. More good news: they travel well.
Also tried the Mom's French Toast; very tasty. Not too sweet.
The coffee is French Press, which three varieties. It was a bit weaker than I prefer, but it could've been just an issue with timing. Wanted more flavor, and I ordered the medium blend.
Parking at the Rite Aid in back. Get validated. -
Review from Alex D.
Glendale, CA
1/17/2012
Always seen the lines but avoided the hype until Jillian from Good Day LA aired them. She is to me what Opera is to middle aged women who watch daytime tv.
Back to the point - I was lucky enough to avoid the lines and I must say it was the best breakfast in town !
Not sure if I would entertain standing in line though. Most people wouldn't mind but I'm just ADHD when it comes to lines. With the exception of waiting at a taco truck late nigh. That I believe is part of the experience.
Must try! -
Review from George G.
JACKSON HTS, NY
1/22/2012 3 photos
I checked out this place because it was conveniently close to the hotel I was staying at during my visit to L.A., but little did I know it was a popular spot.
I yelped for breakfast places nearby and came across Griddle Café. After reading several reviews on the long wait time and parking issues, I was almost discouraged on going there.
Good thing my main concern was the food quality and decided to go. The food was GREAT.
BTW, this place allows you to park in the Rite Aid parking lot next to it, but don't forget to validate your ticket. Apparently people don't notice they can park here for free, but now you know.
Griddle café's exterior is not impressive and that corner is known to have many hobo's wandering, so don't sit on the outdoor tables unless you like people (waiting to be seated) staring at you while you eat.
The wait was about 20 mins for 4 people and a stroller, but the wait was worth it.
Yes the place is touristy, but I wasn't looking for an experience, I was looking for good food.
The portions are generous and the service was great.
The bare-brick interior décor is clean and although it has an open kitchen, you don't come out stinking of food.
Our server Jason could have been putting on good act, but he seemed genuinely interested in pleasing us so the attention was warm. I looked around at other tables and I was not an isolated incident as other tables seemed happy with their service as well.
The servers are clean cut, lean and without attitude, so I'm sure the ladies will appreciate that.
Your coffee comes in a French press which makes it not only tasty, but convenient for refills at your own pace, instead of having to flag down your busy server for a refill. The OCD in me noticed the ketchup and hot sauce bottles looked brand new, with no slimy guck on the tip. For some reason I associate an establishments cleanliness with this small detail. There's nothing worse than a messy re-filled ketchup bottle with black curd when you unscrew the cap.
We had:
1-'Mom's French toast', which was perfectly cooked and yummy (but don't mistake that slab of butter on it for vanilla ice-cream).
2-'Too hot to handle' burger, which was perfectly cooked with fresh tomato and jalapeños, but indeed too hot to handle. If you are a fan of excessive heat, then get it.
3- 'Two eggs' with pork-apple sausage and home fries, which was nothing less than magnificent.
Total for four hungry persons was $75 and change. Their generous portions were well worth it.
Although I couldn't sit there because of the stroller, the seats in the back are nice, so try to get seated there. -
Review from Katherine O.
West Hollywood, CA
1/26/2012
Almighty Red Velvet Pancake HEAVEN! Holy shitzu! This is a must try once in your life, decadent, magnificent, greedy but oh-so-good pancake. Share it with a lover, a friend, your dog (kidding), because it is H-U-G-E! And yes, it tastes as good as it looks!
Their other breakfast food is awesome too. These guys don't mess around when it comes to generous portions. There can be a bit of a wait (you'll understand why if you wait) but the staff are great guys who are very accommodating! Doesn't disappoint! There's usually a game of sports on their multiple large screen TVs and the noise level is very chatty and loud.
Tip: Parking lot entrance is on the west hand side of Fairfax in the Southband lane farthest to the right. It's just south of Sunset Blvd in the same parking lot as Rite Aid. :) -
Review from Cherish H.
Chino, CA
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wait time wasn't bad but we went nearer to closing (2). We waited longer to go to the restroom.
We had the baked potato omelette, kicking and screaming bfast tacos, French toast, Cobb omelette. Definite YES-es are the baked potato omelette (egg whites only, w cheddar) and French Toast. The french toast was some of the best I have had. It was rich, thick, on delicious brioche bread. It was super flavorful and of course came in a giant serving size. The baked potato omelette really tasted like a baked potato, and would satiate The Rock it's so huge.
Service was fast, the host was amazingly friendly, servers were pretty good and covered each other in true teamwork fashion! Park behind the restaurant in the Rite Aid parking lot (if you got late enough, you don't even need validation, although the Griddle will give you it).
Yummilicious Factor = A- -
Review from James B.
The Griddle Cafe (TGC) has been on my bookmark list FOREVER. I finally got to check it out. I'd have to say, TGC really lived up to the hype! and the portions are ridiculous!
Decor: This place is really cramped. I was getting claustrophobic in here. Everything here is soooo close together! I could see and hear EVERYTHING.
Food:
1) Red Velvet Pancakes - Warm, Fluffy, Cake-like, Heavenly. What's great is that the cream cheese icing wasn't too sweet. It's so hard to find places where you don't feel like you're gonna get diabetes from the icing.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
2) Creme de la Creme French Toast - Graham cracker crusted French toast with cheesecake topping. If you're not used to sugar, BEWARE. I had a HUGE SUGAR RUSH after this. It was AMAZING. I can't usually handle sweet dishes, but after having one bite, I just had to keep taking more even though I was already bloated.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
3) Poached y Papas Benedict - Pretty much a Potato skin with ham and eggs benedict. The potato skin was a little too thick for my taste, but the eggs were poached perfectly and the hollandaise sauce was DELICIOUS. I think the dish would've been better with hash browns instead of the thick potato skins.
Parking:
Street parking if you can find some. There's a lot behind TGC.
Overly stuffed + sugar rush is not a pleasant feeling.Listed in: Breakfast & Brunch
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Review from Liv E.
Rowland Heights, CA
For my 200th review it's LOVE at first bite!!
I figure it's should be a restaurant in yelp's 2012 top ten list that I haven't been to but have been dying to try. So here it is Griddle Cafe.
I've seen this place featured on different foodtv shows and was excited to see it make it on the yelp list. This place happens to to be my sweet's favorite place so he planned a day date for us today, Thursday for a late breakfast (to avoid traffic).
Got here at 11:30 and there wasn't any wait and sat by the counter. My sweet ordered banana nana (brown sugar banana), I ordered Creme de la creme (graham cracker crusted french toast topped w/ cheesecake) and we needed something savory so we ordered griddle potatoes.
Banana nana was real good! It was 3 huge pancakes that were tender and moist and flavorful bananas in ever bite. It was good. I can see why their pancakes are so popular!!
My Creme de la creme french toast was the best I've ever had!! The thick sliced french toast was surprisingly tender like the pancake. Wow, it's good and the cheesecake topping was creamy perfect in consistency and didn't lack in cheesecake flavor. It is not a necessary topping for future french toast consumption!
There's nothing like having high expectations and still being blown out of the water. Great place and can't wait to come back and try something else.
If and when you ever decide on opening a 2nd location please come to the OC ;) -
Review from Russ V.
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Couldn't help but try this place after seeing 1,980+ reviews at 4 Stars.. Pretty Solid and a must try in my book! Besides they offer a plethora of Breakfast Entrees!
Family sized individual orders to share with the neighbors!!:
Peanut Bubba Crunchy French Toast: An Enourmous Pair of Toast that was almost completely covered with powdered sugar and a fat scoop of whipped cream then sprinkled with some peanut butter crumble looking bits on top. Moist, Quite Sweet (even without the maple syrup) with an abundant amount of peanut butter spread. Not bad but it wasn't something I'd order again, a little too much for my taste.
Red Velvet Pancake: Just 1 single pancake. I'm glad we were able to order just one, a giddy couple sitting next to us informed us of the behemoth portions at the place. 1 pancake equals like 5 pancakes at IHOP! The pancake covered the whole entire plate, a big plate! It was topped cleverly with cream that they swirled around like those hypnotize tunnels. This was pretty good better than what I expected. Not too sweet and a mild familiar red velvet flavor. Only negative was the pancake wasn't cooked evenly. As I sliced from the outside towards the center of the pancake, every bite started getting softer and more moist. Overall, a good choice and I say one should be enough for Most People..
Decent sized parking lot in back was a definite plus, Service attentive and quick, Prices fair, more in terms of quantity than quality and Atmposphere was relaxed although busy. Not bad, I may come back to try other dishes.Listed in: BEST Breakfast - Los Angeles
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Review from Rachael K.
Los Angeles, CA
1/16/2012 2 photos
Occasion: Lunch with friends from UCLA, UCSD, and USC
What I Had:
"Hoagie" Omelette
'Tis the Season' flapjacks
Food Review: The "Hoagie" Omelette includes Italian sausage, mozzarella, grilled onions, and bell peppers. The plate also comes with Griddle Potatoes and a French roll. The omelette was delicious: thick omelette skin and completely melted cheese. To be honest though? I was more impressed with the potatoes and French roll, and for good reason. The potatoes were made in a way that landed them somewhere in that happy medium between hash browns and mashed potatoes, so they didn't have that almost burnt taste of Denny's hash browns but had some crunch to them unlike mashed potatoes.
The French roll was pre-sliced in half and was begging for a filling, so I ate it with some grilled veggies and potatoes in between the buns. If this is the same bun they use for their burgers, I know their burgers would be amazing. The bread is slightly chewy on the outside and extremely soft (almost plush!) on the inside, making the buns even softer than In-N-Out buns. My ideal burger buns.
'Tis the Season' flapjacks are pancakes mixed with pumpkin pie filling, topped with whipped cream and powdered sugar. They are available year round. I have never seen a pumpkin pancake in my life! Two of my favorite things all in one absolutely enormous, homogeneous stack.
Service Review: We waited for more than 1.5 hours to get our table for 7 people, but as it was a holiday (MLK Day), the most popular breakfast spot in LA, and we had an unusually large group, it wasn't surprising. Plus we were pretty satiated from eating so much last night and there was a Coffee Bean across the street where we killed time hanging out, so the wait was bearable. Food was out relatively quickly and our waiters were friendly, but HIGHLIGHT: Since we had a larger group, we got to sit in one of the private rooms in the back of the restaurant. Halle Berry's private booth. Pretty awesome!
Venue Review: There wasn't anything particularly special about the venue. We managed to find street parking not too far away without any trouble.
Overall Impression: Fabulous food, biggest pancake portions I've ever seen, and although not the best place for large groups on weekends or holidays, it was well worth the wait. -
Review from Scylis A.
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hi, I'd like to live here. Thank you.
They have a HUGE menu. It's pretty ridiculous. I don't know where to begin.. how about with the pancakes I ordered... BLUESBERRY. There's 3 gigantic cakes stacked on each other with blueberries everywhere. It's topped with blueberry sour cream, but it tastes like blueberry yogurt. I definitely was loving every bite. Surprisingly, I was able to finish about half of the plate. I also did get a side of bacon, which were deliciously devoured in 2.5 minutes. - ok ok I took my time with them.. The mimosas were ok, but I did enjoy the French pressed coffee.
I was lucky enough to arrive 5 minutes before the crowd got there. Servers are definitely on top of it, and are really helpful with picking out some food. -
Review from Maggie W.
Arcadia, CA
1/24/2012
If you love breakfast food then this is your place to be.
came here about a year ago when I first heard about the hype about their giant plate sized pancakes. Parking was a bit difficult and wait is definitely long if you come brunch time on a weekend. We ordered the golden ticket and a breakfast omelette, 1 order of the pancake can feed at least 4, deliciously satisfying, YES! But at the end of the meal, the boy and I were fighting for the omelette just to have something salty to balance out the sweetness.
Overall I think the food is just average, service is good but can be a bit slow. But if you love pancakes, you got to try griddle cafe at least once. -
Review from Vitaliy N.
Rockville, MD
If you're hungry enough to eat the proverbial cow for breakfast (and a yummy one at that), look no further! I've come here a handful of times and I've yet to be disappointed. The portions are HUGE (three pancakes that are 16" in diameter and stacked 4" high).
I recommend the cheesecake stuffed french toast, two huge slices of bread with cheesecake topping and powdered sugar. Also terrific is the Tequila Sunrise breakfast, complete with flour tortillas, eggs, sausage, cheese, sour cream, avocado, and a wonderfully spicy red sauce to smother everything. The pancakes are a staple but are simply impossible to finish by oneself. If you're ambitious enough to try an order, make sure you agree with a friend on a flavor and ask for a second plate. The coffee comes in light, medium, and dark roasts and is served in a french press with unlimited refills.
The menu is large enough to keep everyone entertained. The place is relatively small so try to show up before 10-11 am to ensure you won't be waiting in line on the street watching everyone devour their foody goodness. You run across celebs. The service is fast, attentive, and everything I desire from a breakfast place -- just the facts, I came here to eat!
Overall the food is amazing. I would highly recommend coming here wether you're a local or visiting Los Angeles, try the Griddle! -
Review from Olga G.
Mira Loma, CA
1/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is pancake and french toast heaven!
Decided to check out this place with a few friends for the first time and this place did not disappoint! Everything we ordered was delicious! My favorite was the creme de la creme french toast, the bread itself is crusted with graham crackers which gave it that extra crunch when you have your first bite. Then there's the creamy cheesecake topping that just puts this dish over the top! It's definitely a must try for all you cheesecake lovers out there. A useful tip to those who are planning to try this place is to definitely share with someone because their portions are HUGE! This is definitely a good brunch place to come with friends! -
Review from Ani A.
Glendale, CA
2/5/2012 1 photo
I heard about this place from http://Yahoo.com as one of Los Angeles's best breakfast places, so of course I tried it out.
My friend and I went on a Friday morning at 10:30am and we only had to wait for 5 minutes which I was grateful for.
We ordered the Caballero breakfast burrito and shared it. Good thing too because it was huge! The burrito was one of the best I have ever had! Every bite was as good as the first. Not too spicy but perfect flavoring!
Then we of course tried the red velvet pancake. Let me tell you...one of the BEST pancakes I have ever eaten in my entire life!! DELICIOUS! Love at first bite!!!
I can't get enough of this place! I went there yesterday and I'm going again tomorrow!
A MUST TRY PLACE! -
Review from Kaputachya A.
Los Angeles, CA
1/24/2012
The family & I stepped in only because it was conveniently located en route to our destination.... It was early in the morning, and we were in the mood for a breakfast joint so we thought we might as well.... SOOOOOO GLADDD WE DID!! We didn't have to wait at all... and based on the reviews I just read, we got lucky I guess :-D
The reason we loved this place is two fold: (1) Good tasting breakfast joints are hard to find especially ones with healthier alternatives & substitutes. (2) Even when you do find a good place... they're either known for the egg based food items or specilaize in pancake/french toast type stuff (like Cici's) ... This place was great with both!
Here's what we ordered :)
1. Banana-nana pancakes - topped it with fresh strawberries
2. Omelette "My Soul" - with steak
3. "Baked Potato" Omelette - with jack cheese.
All three tantalized our tastebuds :-p Order them! Yumm!
Next time, we'll be trying the red velvet pancakes...... can't waaaaaaaiit!!!! -
Review from Michelle N.
South El Monte, CA
1/21/2012 1 photo
I came here because of the super good rating and many reviews. At first, the line seemed very long and intimidating but after parking (parking is free in the back), I was assured that I'll get a table in 10 minutes. The host (guy with glasses) was extremely nice and attentive. And after just a short wait, we were seated.
The server was also very helpful. He told us what his popular and even made some recommendations. The food was super good and the portions were huge. I came with 3 other people and ordered 2 breakfast plates and a pancake. That was the perfect amount of food.
I highly recommend this place if you want good breakfast at a pretty good price! -
Review from Helen P.
La Crescenta-Montrose, CA
1/19/2012
If you go on a busy day like saturday brunch time, you will suffer LONG wait.. 5 of us went around 10am on a saturday and had to wait about 40 minutes to sit down. However, the food didn't disppoint us. Good food, HUGE portions. All of their dishes are pretty good, and if you don't know what to get, ask the waiter and he'll tell you what are the more popular dishes. You can trust him on it :) The food isn't very delicately displayed on the dish and the ambience is blehh compared to Blue Jam Cafe or Bungalow, but if you and a group of friends are just hungry for some GOOD breakfast food, Griddles is the perfect place! The place gets pretty loud and unsettling, so we didn't stay too long.
Tips:
- come with more than 2 people, since the portions are HUGE
- If you wanted to have a chill brunch and talk, this is not the place to be
- parking sucks. try to get street parking in the residential areas. even so, watch out, because some might need permits. -
Review from Amy N.
Springfield, MO
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
The food is incredible here. I have visited on multiple occasions and have never been disappointed. The portions are ridiculous. I always wonder why I insist on ordering my own french toast or pancakes...because I barely finish 1/5 of the plate. I highly recommend putting aside your ego and sharing a plate with a friend (or two).
The cheesecake stuffed french toast is great and I also recommend the pancakes with banana and caramel-I think this one is my new favorite. -
Review from Sally Z.
Los Angeles, CA
1/10/2012
The wait time is cah-ray-zeeeeee. We came at 1:30 pm and still waited thirty minutes, at least.
My friends and I shared the yellow brick road pancakes. It's sweetness to the max! ...which actually means it's too sweet and was overwhelming. Keep in mind, these pancakes are gargantuan. Smaller than the red velvet specialty, but even so, we ditched probably a fourth of the pancake we ordered....despite the fact that there were four or five of us there. Couldn't do it.
The Chicago Charlie's Scramble was great! Who can do brunch without eggs, really?
The staff offered helpful recommendations and was amiable, making an effort to small talk our group. Haha, I remember he affirmed our suspicions that the location Griddle occupies used to be a sushi restaurant.
Parking here stanks! There are sooo many tables and you are, noticeably, only three feet away from another table, dining.
The verdict? Solid brunch food, probably not worth the hassle. -
Review from Duane D.
Duarte, CA
I absolutely LOVE breakfast food, and Griddle seems to pander to my every craving.
I have now been twice and have had each the red velvet pancake and the "peanut bubba" french toast, and I am in love. The portions are quite huge, so be prepared to take something home.
They do serve more than breakfast, such as sandwiches...but I haven't tried those yet.
Average item is maybe 9-12 dollars, so can be a bit pricy for breakfast food.
There is always a bit of a wait, but I find it to be worth it. I will be back! -
Review from Chandler M.
Los Angeles, CA
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
If I come here starving and STILL can't eat a full plate, then we have a winner.
I ordered some sort of breakfast abomination of nutter-butter-coated French Toast with a 1/4 lb of whipped cream on top, with some eggs and sausage on the side and that was insane. The eggs were scrambled perfectly, the sausage was hot and juicy, and the french toast was...on some other level of diabetic nightmares. but it was incredibly delicious.
This place is frankly one of the most filling food spots in LA, and definitely one of the best breakfast places. Even if you don't order one of the 45 different pancake or french toast varieties, there are still monster omelets, and I hear there is even a lunch menu somewhere.
I've tried coming here at 10am on a Tuesday and there is still a line in front of this place; THAT'S how good it is. I don't want to be redundant here, but it's definitely reached a "must-take" for out of town friends/family in my book. -
Review from Thi N.
Fremont, CA
1/10/2012
Can you open one in the bay area?
I love french toast. This place knows how to make it - fluffy and full of toppings. I didn't need to add any syrup to the toast because it is sweet as is - just perfect! -
Review from Kristie D.
Los Angeles, CA
2/2/2012
I love this place. The food is awesome and the staff is very nice. I totally suggest ordering the Red Velvet Pancakes they are so delish!! I was not a fan of the 30min wait, but the food was worth the wait so overall it was a great dining experience.
