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Richard Walker's Pancake House

3.5 star rating
based on 76 reviews

Category: Breakfast & Brunch  [Edit]

Neighborhood: East Village
520 Front St
(between Island Ave & Market St)
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 231-7777
  • Hours:
    Mon-Sun 6:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
  • Price Range: $$
  • Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
  • Parking: Street
  • Attire: Casual
  • Good for Groups: No
  • Good for Kids: Yes
  • Takes Reservations: No
  • Delivers: No
  • Take-out: Yes
  • Waiter Service: Yes
  • Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
  • Outdoor Seating: Yes
  • Good for: Breakfast
  • Alcohol: None

76 Reviews for Richard Walker's Pancake House

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Photo of Bruce W.

 

1

34

Bruce W.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
06/29/2008

If you dig on the breakfast, you gotta try this place at least one time.  

The FRESH FRENCH STRAWBERRY CREPES, comes with a lemony sauce and strawberries, powdered sugar, etc.  The first time I tried it I just started laughing at how good it was.  My friends all sampled it and were jealous.  Sometimes you get surprised by the intensity of flavors, and this happened here.  

It's kinda small, and the line is obscene.  I don't go often, but it's a nice treat.

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20

98

Shon L.

Seal Beach, CA

5 star rating
06/16/2008

If you serve breakfast, then its a guaranteed 3 stars already, cuz im a breakfast guy.  If you serve kick ass omelettes, and good sized breakfast portions, then its up to 4 stars.   If you want 5 stars, then your pancakes better be spectacular, your juice is sweeter than sugar, and your bacon is from heaven.

RWPH is perfect for that weekend breakfast.  The only negative was the long lines.  Come early enough and you wont have to worry.  Otherwise, prepare to wait.

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6

Crystal T.

San Diego, CA

1 star rating
06/18/2008

So first, the food was great and luckily we got there before the rest of the county showed up around 9.  The service was satisfactory and we were pleased overall up until we were waiting for the check and one of their "best" servers walked by and tried to flick water from his wet hands onto one of his coworkers, now I am all for being silly at work but when you are in very close quarters it is not recommended.  The water hit my husband in the face, this was totally disgusting since we didn't know if he just went to the bathroom or was washing the dishes. GROSS! And then when my husband called him out on it he walked away with a smirk on his face. To top it all off we told the manager and she gave us a discount on our check! Who does that?? Now, not only will I NEVER go back there but I will forever tell anyone that will listen my story.

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Photo of tonya t.

 

1

8

tonya t.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
07/08/2008

The food here is AWESOME!

My favorite meal of the day is breakfast- so i am had to please on breakfast joints.  The pancakes are perfect (bacon pancakes, Dutch baby, any kind of crepe you can imagine).

The coffee is really weak and does take away from the experience - but if you know that in advance you can order juice instead or have a cup while you wait in the long line.

My advice is to go at 8:30am or earlier on the weekends to avoid a wait. At 9:00am you are looking at 30min- 45 min based on the day.

Lastly- service is OK- not outstanding but, they do a nice job and are quick.

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0

6

Martha B.

Santa Monica, CA

4 star rating
06/30/2008

We had to wait about 15 minutes on Saturday morning, not bad.  Great pancakes and coffee!  Just blocks from our hotel and sounded more appealing than Cafe 222 which was even more crowded.  A safe bet for a nice breakfast.

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8

71

Dee T.

Royal Oak, MI

4 star rating
06/10/2008

Yeah, yeah, it's a tourist trap. It's a few blocks away from the convention center, and in the hotel zone - what do you expect? No matter - the food is solid, hearty, well-priced, and most importantly, GOOD.

We visited SD for the marathon and hunted down breakfast spots - breakfast was pretty much all we could fit in due to all of the other activities (like stretching. hydrating. waiting in line at the porta-potties) and I wanted to make sure that we'd eat somewhere that I'd researched beforehand. Um, I ended up eating there twice in one weekend (well the second time was really because I couldn't bear the thought of walking anywhere else - day after the run).

Anyone who's eaten at an Original Pancake House will find the offerings familiar and undaunting. Dutch and German babies, blueberry pancakes, huge (but not baked) omelettes, decent coffee, service that hustles.

These people will also be undaunted by the wait - it really is not that bad. They have the whole thing down to a science...Hostess hands out menus to those waiting in line, which has a convenient stand marking out an (overly) optimistic "Ten Minutes to be Seated from This Point." The handing out of the menus is key for newbies, as it allows one the opportunity to firmly decide one's selection by the time one is seated.

Water appears 10 seconds after your butt hits the bench, another server swings by to take a drink order, and the waitress/waiter appears shortly thereafter to take your order. The wait for food is not excessive. The amount and quality of food that arrives is worth it all. I've tasted the blueberry pancakes, the buttermilk pancakes, omelettes, hash browns, and the crepes (NO it was not all for me!) and they were all great. My fave is the blueberry pancakes.

Oh! The space! It's beautiful, clean, sleek, open, and cozy - do any of those go together? I couldn't make it to the Mission. As in, I could not WALK to the Mission. But I'm happy I had Richard Walker's nearby.

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3

31

Caitlin B.

Ontario, CA

4 star rating
05/25/2008

Two words: Apple Pancake.  

BEST thing EVER!!  

We went one morning at like opening time, so didn't have to wait to sit down.  

It was totally trendy though and a tad overpriced, but the apple pancake was totally worth it.  Our serve was very friendly and my son loved his chocolate chip pancakes.  I was disappointed to not see a children's menu.  It doesn't seem to be child-friendly, but along with my son, I saw a couple of other people in there with children.  

This place was overall great though and I'm glad that I had the chance to eat here.  Will totally do it again on my next SD trip.  

But totally, get the apple pancake, you won't be disappointed!!!

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7

19

Candice B.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
05/12/2008

OOOOOHHHHHH!!!!! This place is so TASTY!! It is definitely worth the 45 minute wait!! I like to pick off everyone plates (of course only the people I'm with). So I pretty much have tried it all. The apple pancake, eggs, bacon, pigs in a blanket, Swedish pancakes and my favorite part their the coffee..... so delicious.

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3

13

James D.

San Diego, CA

2 star rating
06/03/2008

Tourist trap. Went there once and had their "signature" pancakes which were nice. Other than that, unless you feel like being seen standing on a line that goes up to Market St, I suggest these below:

As a local, there are better offerings in town: The Mission in the East Village, Cheese Shop on 4th, Beach City Market at Horton and if you are lucky to get a spot, Cafe 222.

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Elite '08

43

240

Leigh M.

Austin, TX

3 star rating
05/28/2008

Eh. Not bad. Not great. We got there early, so we didn't have to wait in line. If we had, I'd probably be annoyed. The food was decent. The service was nice, but slow as molasses.

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12

18

Lucia E.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
05/11/2008

It's breakfast people!  What is up w/ the line and the fight to get into this place?  Bacon, pancakes, and eggs are the easiest things to cook in the world.

That being said, I like to eat out for bfast and I like eggs, pancakes, and bacon that I don't  have to cook.  Always good quality food here and the coffee's not bad either.  I just don't really get the hype. My bfriend loves to come here though, so I am often forced to oblige.  We switch off every other weekend or so and he is tired of the Wfront and other dives I talk him into going to.

I think part of the reason he likes it so much is that the guy who runs the joint is from Chitown, and I am too so that's actually sweet.

So in summary great pancakes, good bacon and eggs and pretty much worth the wait.  I wouldn't wait more than half an hour though--that's my cut off point.

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Elite '08

36

76

Dan D.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
05/30/2008

It's good.  Better than the typical breakfast place.  There are 2 ways to go:  scrambled eggs and ham or one of the pancakes.  Either are winners.  Be ready to wait on weekends.  The owner is there all the time too, it's very refreshing to see.

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2

Jason D.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
05/26/2008

Quite what expected - your basic pancake house. The Santa Fe omelet was good. The pancakes were good except for one person at the table reported lumps. The service and outdoor seating were pleasant. Enjoyed a stroll into Seaport Village afterwards.

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6

15

Molly R.

Scottsdale, AZ

5 star rating
04/21/2008

Now I'm no pancake expert, but I have to say that the pancakes at this place were some of the best I have ever had.  

I ordered the cherry pancakes and they were divine.  They were soft, buttery and hardly needed any syrup. The bacon I got on the side was thick cut salty goodness, and their coffee was a nice pick-me-up.

My brother had the mushroom and cheese omelet and it was also very good. They are very large so be warned! He's a big guy and could not finish his omelet. :o)

We went on a Saturday morning and were seated fairly quickly. The wait staff are friendly and efficient.

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1

31

Daniel D.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
05/10/2008

Crowds follow good food.  You'll be waiting here, on the sidewalk, but the staff is used to that and can get people in and out in a hurry.  The food is great -- I love the crepes!

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5

7

Sonya P.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
04/21/2008

Love this place.  I loved the menu even before I had a taste of anything on it.  The bacon is awesome!!!!  The apple juice is fabulous.  The big fluffy apple pancake should only be ordered for 2 or more people.  The servers are super nice.  A CAN OF SODA IS THREE DOLLARS!  That is stupid.  Get a freakin' soda fountain people!  

DO NOT SIT AT THE BOOTH THAT FACES THE BATHROOM.  YOU WILL BE IGNORED !  This is the fault of the layout, probably not the server.  Just an awkward place  Otherwise, the whole place is lovely to sit in.  Very Frank Lloyd Wright feeling.  They made pretty darn good use of the small space they have.

There is only 1 (one) single bathroom.  That sorta sucks.  Leaves more room for tables though.  Since I go there to eat primarily, this is an acceptable inconvenience.  

I love places that have a water dish for dogs (or cats, or pigs) outside.

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39

Eric P.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
04/04/2008

[Eggs benedict = 2 x (Toasted english muffins, seared Canadian bacon, eggs, covered in hollandaise sauce) + hashed browns in rosti style] + tea + orange juice = good breakfast. Not cheap but definitely not a bad value , all things considered.

Go on a weekday if possible or closer to noon (I think breakfast stops at 2:30 pm) if you don't want to wait in LINE. Go on a sunny day and enjoy your food and the ocean breeze outside.

Peeking at other people's food: pancakes look good, swedish pancakes I'll probably try next time (looks like crepes), bacon and eggs look amazing. Especially the bacon - long and lean cuts cooked just right.

Definitely coming back again to sample more foods and to see if it earns another star.

Update:
Bacon. Get the bacon! I'm getting bacon every single time no matter what I order. Even if I get a plate of bacon, I will order a side of bacon. I added photos of it so you can see for yourself. Keep the bib at hand though. I drool when I ogle it.

Going to find some time to order the oven-baked apple pancake that the menu says takes 20 minutes to prepare. I hear it's heaven.

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Elite '08

53

421

scott p.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
04/20/2008

I've been meaning to check this place out for months- I live in Golden Hill, work downtown, and frequent the Union Bank on the corner, so it's hard to miss the hordes lined up down the block each and every day.  Figured, I have to try it once.

I was ready for a 30-45 minute wait, but my out of town guest and I were quickly seated on the outdoor patio because we were a party of two-  only had to wait in line for five minutes.  This was at sunday at 9:30 AM.

As for the food- I wasn't impressed.  I wasn't particularly dissapointed, either.  Had the blueberry pancakes with oj and a side of bacon.  Everything was decent and served up quickly- Richard Walker's is all about the rapid turnover.  Service was efficient, as you would expect.

Nothing was special, wouldn't come back with the other non-chain/local chain's in the neighborhood, but I'm glad I finally got to try it out.

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Photo of Torin H.

 

1

4

Torin H.

San Diego, CA

1 star rating
04/28/2008

This place sucks!

The wait staff was drinking water out of the pitchers they pour drinks from. WTF?!

The food is a shoddy rip-off of Original Pancake House. http://www.yelp.com/bi...

And the line out the door is due to the poor speed of service in the restaurant.  I wish there were more places to eat in downtown.

Skip it!

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3

10

Nikki H.

San Diego, CA

1 star rating
05/12/2008

Let me preface this review by saying that we went on Mother's Day, so I have accounted for that.

All these circumstances notwithstanding, Richard Walker's was a HUGE dissapointment.  I hadn't been there and, since I live in the area, I'd been receiving their large, glossy coupon mailers and thought Mother's Day would be the perfect time to give it a try.

We started off knowing there would be a bit of a wait, but the "10 Minutes From This Point" sign was a joke.  I understand the attempted usefulness, but for chrissakes, don't get my hopes up.  I stood next to that 10 minute sign for half an hour.

The restaurant itself is dinky.  TINY.  Sitting next to the kitchen and the bathroom is less than stellar when I'm trying to enjoy my breakfast.  The coffee was AWFUL, and I am a big coffee drinker, especially with breakfast.  

Once we were seated, it took an inordinately long wait for our server to greet us and take our order.  He was Johnny-on-the-spot once he knew we were there, though, so that's a saving grace.  

The place is entirely too loud, the pancakes were nothing to write home about and the corned beef hash tasted like it came out of a can.  The over-medium ("basted") eggs were disgustingly runny, nothing like I (or innumberable other service industry professionals) understand over-medium to be.

Save your money.  Skip Richard Walker's altogether and go 10 minutes down the street to The Mission in the East Village. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)

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13

30

Luther S.

Arlington, VA

4 star rating
04/08/2008

The service was a bit slow, but the place was packed.  At 9:30am on a TUESDAY.  The omelet was spicy delicious, the pancakes were good as was the coffee.  Fresh squeezed OJ seems to be the standard for California.  As a visiting tourist, I like the restaurant.

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7

57

Peter G.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
03/18/2008

You people must own a competing breakfast place! Or maybe you are some freak vegans. How can you not love this place? Great Benidects, omlettes, and pancakes. If you are bitter because of the wait, go on a weekday for lunch. Of course the line is long on weekends, the food is awesome. Better yet, don't eat there that way the line is not so long when I go. Some of you are a joke, and probably go there and order oatmeal. 5 stars all accross the board. Great food and great quality!

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0

19

Mishel F.

San Diego, CA

2 star rating
04/07/2008

I had such high hopes for Richard Walker's Pancake House and was so disappointed when they didn't deliver.  We went on a Wednesday morning, were seated promptly and greeted by a somewhat surly waitress.  After ordering a dutch baby (yum, these are so hard to find) and my boyfriend an omelette, we were so disappointed by the average quality.  The waitress wouldn't let us substitute side dishes and made a big deal about it.   Oh well, will keep looking for that perfect breakfast place.

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Photo of Mike A.

 

36

14

Mike A.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
02/26/2008

Here's a few things you should know about Richard Walkers pancake house before going..

- Long lines await you most of the time (especially Sunday morning)..so if your hungry..either be patient or go somewhere else..

- Parking is not that bad..there's street parking eveywhere..or...the Ralphs thats a block a way that i'm sure most people exploit there free 2 hours parking garage while "shopping"...shhh..

- Food...this is kind of a long one....Having had some pretty good breakfasts in the past...I would say that the food here is just "ok"....none of the food to me was "bad"...but on the otherhand, nothing really impressed me taste wise...The pancakes are always consistent and fluffy.....The omelets are hit or miss most of the time, but tasty....The corn beef hash really has no flavor to it....and the other misc foods (sausages, hash browns..etc)..taste like something I can get at any of my local (do i dare say it?) Denny's..yikes..

- Service (another long one) for me has also been hit or miss..One time I went there with the fam and received the best service from the best waitress ever!!  Drinks were always refilled..orders came out on time nice and hottt..and the bill was taken care of promptly and efficiently...

..but.............the next time we went....our waitress seated us...then "poof"...vanished...into thin air...(true story).....for like 15 min...then finally reappeared magically and finally took our drink orders......we then ordered our food like normal..25 looong minutes later, our food arrives.....nice and......cold!....the omelets were cold and runny...the syrup that came with the pancakes were cold..even my hot chocolate came out room temperature...the place wasn't even that busy and there was only 4 of us....not good..

Overall its an ok breakfast joint with ok food in a nice location...

Pro's:  - Nice location downtown..
           - Decent food
           - Omelets, when cooked correctly..tasted pretty good..
           - Outdoor seating...even though small...gives a great opportunity                    
              to people watch during a nice day..

Con's:  - Long wait times most of the time..
            - Food was mediocre to ok at best
            - Service is definately hit or miss.
            - 1 bathroom for men and women
            - If your waiting in the long line outside and it starts to  
              rain...you're screwed..
            - Dining room feels cramped at times..

FOB Review:  "Pood is ok lang...tri da Lenny's dwn di streets...it kind ob
                         tastes see-me-ler... "

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Elite '08

82

81

justin christopher m.

Laguna Beach, CA

5 star rating
02/28/2008

The only two words you need to know for breaking your fast in S.D. - Apple Pancake!

Well, actually, you might need two more: Holy Crap!

I take that back. Five more: I think I just came!   ;)

Lame attempts at humor aside: If you go to S.D. and you're going to get breakfast, ORDER THE APPLE PANCAKE. You'll be extremely glad you did. Oh yeah - There can, in fact, be some gnarly lines, but I really don't care. It's well worth it.

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2

26

Courtney N.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
04/06/2008

My husband and I love this place. We have never had to wait in line for very long, and its worth it. Great coffee, and they are very quick with the refills. The apple and orange juice are the best, its freshly squeezed every morning and delivered to them daily. MMmmmmm. Seriously the best apple juice I have ever had in a restaurant. The Food is very good, the Santa Fe omelet is my favorite, and the eggs benedict is really tasty too. Yummy hashbrowns, and I hear the apple pancakes are good, but I dont really do sweet for breakfast.

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1

83

Kitten C.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
04/18/2008

Delicious!  Great food, great service.  We got there 30 minutes before closing and they never rushed us out.  The apple pancake is a *must*.  We got to meet Mr. Walker.  He was very nice.  

Dear Mr. Walker,

Please open a restaurant in San Francisco.  

Thanks.

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62

D G.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
03/07/2008

You either love it or you hate it.  Period.  Oh, so why three stars?  Cuz some other review said they would never trust a review by someone who loved this place......Richard is rude but I don't care.  He tries to move the line fast and it works.  The food is great.  The service is rushed.  Oh...Did I say period?  Never-mind...

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29

385

Chris B.

Austin, TX

3 star rating
05/24/2008

Decent food, but don't know why anyone would wait in a long line outside to eat here. Enough said.

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6

Kat E.

Rowland Heights, CA

2 star rating
05/07/2008

The pancakes were OK. They were nothing really special, and definitely not worth the 20 minute wait to sit down. I've had pancakes just as good at IHOP.

The hash kinda tasted canned too. We found Hash House a Go Go(http://www.yelp.com/bi...) the next day on Local Wally's( http://www.localwally....) and we wish we had found it sooner

If you want some good quality pancakes, less wait, and more bang for your buck, head north to Hash House a Go Go! The pancakes were tasty and HUGE!! Don't waste your time waiting on "eh..." pancakes at Richard Walkers.

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107

Amy C.

San Diego, CA

2 star rating
03/10/2008

After waiting about 15 minutes outside on Saturday morning, I was really hoping that our breakfast was going to be worth the wait in line. I just can't seem to like this place in the few times we have given it a shot.

There was a big convention this past weekend downtown, so I guess that's why it was so busy-- but I hate how all the tables have you practically  right on the table next to you.

To get an  egg white omelet, there is a 20 minute wait for the prep time- and we didn't even think that is was that good. I got the cherry crepes- nothing too fantastic and rather bland as well. The coffee and tea also comes in cups and saucers- booo!

There are plenty of other good breakfast places to go to in SD-- I don't think that we will be going to this one again.

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1

james j.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
06/09/2008

I was a little hesitant to venture into this establishment on the weekend after what I had read on yelp about the wait. Really who likes to wait? Simultaneously, if I went to On Broadway at 10pm on a Saturday night, odds are there is going to be a wait. However, if I chose to hit a dive bar in the East Village, I could probably walk right in and have a drink in my hand in minutes. So my thought process was that if enough people are there standing in line, something good must be going on...think amusement parks. Same concept.

After a 20 minute wait, on a gorgeous morning nonetheless, we often take for granted the San Diego weather...April in DC, where I grew up, doesn't share the same luster. I was at the front of the line and greeted by none other than the owner himself. An eccentric character, but all the great ones are so I didn't hold that over his head...long story short, I ask him is the line always this long, as not everyday can I wait that long for my turn at the trough. He replied that from 8:30am-1pm on the weekends there is a bit of a hold up...hence breakfast time, but if one were to show up from 6:30am-8:30am or after 1pm, not so much a dilemma...during the week, he explained, that it happens occasionally and rarely over 10 minutes. Fair enough, as I stated earlier, it's all relative to what you consider worth spending time over, if it is a quality breakfast, then you won't have to venture any further than 520 Front St.

I came with pancakes on my mind, but then I saw a huge what appeared to be apple souffl cross the restaurant...you would have thought she was wearing red the way my eyes followed the temptress. I didn't need the menu any longer, sort of pointed with a Cro-Magnon like grunt and the server understood completely. Apparently she is fluent in low brow as well. I later discovered that my long lost love was an Apple Pancake, which is baked in an oven and takes roughly 20 minutes; they are passionate about their food and have it down to a science as you can tell.

Less than 20 minutes later, packed house mind you, a delectable breakfast appears in front of me and it was a reunion of Harold and Kumar at White Castle...one man, one great breakfast, one mission accomplished.

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Elite '08

12

157

Yolanda S.

Chula Vista, CA

4 star rating
01/14/2008

There are 41 reviews, what can I say that they haven't?  Just that I thought they were really good and as long as you don't have to wait in a long line, I think it's totally worth going to have breakfast!

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5

16

A V.

NJ

3 star rating
02/11/2008

After a 5 1/2 hour flight into SD to visit the folks, they suggested a late breakfast at Richard Walker's in downtown.  As a side note, I just happened to pick the week in January with clouds, rain and lower than usual temps (high 50's to low 60's).  Of course the week after I left, the temps were back up into the low 70's and sunny.  Back to the review.

It was Wednesday around 11:30am as we walked up to the pancake house after parking nearby at a street meter.  I noticed a little sign outside that said "line forms here."  I figured that the place must be pretty popular.  We were seated right away since there was only a few other tables occupied.  The place is not that big and there is also a not so big eating area outside.  I could easily see why a line would form especially if the food was good.

The folks split a German pancake and I had what I think is called the "two by four" (2 eggs, 4 pancakes).  The one thing I noticed as other orders went by our table were the generous heaping portions of breakfast delights such as the apple pancakes (freshly baked apples).  This was confirmed when the German pancake arrived.  It was gigantic, larger than the large plate it was on and definitely did not look like an ordinary pancake.  It was more like a giant, semi-bumpy, round pastry which you would pick at.  Confectioner's sugar and syrup were provided on the side for your sweet tooth.

When my "two by four" arrived, it was sort of anti-climatic.  The pancakes looked ordinary and my eggs (I ordered egg whites) looked foamy.  I was hungry and I ate everything.  It wasn't anything special, but it was good enough.  If I had to compare to a chain (and this is for just what I ordered), I would say the regular pancakes are somewhat better at an IHOP or a Cracker Barrel.  What's up with the foamy egg whites?  Also, the coffee was ok, nothing special, but as someone did mention, got cold pretty quickly.

The service was pretty quick and the waitress was attentive.  I'm guessing it probably wouldn't have been that way if the restaurant was full.  If you're craving a large breakfast and you don't have to wait too long, I would definitely give Richard Walker's a try.

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5

34

Leah L.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
05/03/2008

I like this place - don't love it but like it. 3 1/2 stars would better suit me.
I live across the street so I wait for the lines to subside and head in for decent food.  I waited in line for about 4 minutes and was quickly seated inside. The owner was not there today which is why I am guessing the service was not good. When the cat is away the mice will play and that was the truth about today! I had to ask for my cup of coffee three times before I flagged down a bus boy to help serve me. While they usually take your order right away, I read several sections of the paper before they even seemed to notice that my husband and I were sitting there waiting. Food took longer than usual to be served but once we started eating all of the other complaints seemed to melt away. The crepes were warm and delicious. Strawberries were fresh and the chocolate chip pancakes are a delicious sin.
If there were more breakfast places downtown I think this place would have some serious worries but they seem to monopolize the market and they know what they are doing. Take it for what it is worth and enjoy!

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8

6

Jamie R.

San Diego, CA

5 star rating
02/11/2008

I'd been wanting to check this place out for months... My boyfriend likes to stick to our usual places. My mom came into town so this was a great time to try something new.

We went on a Sunday around 11 or so, waited in line for about 20 minutes (or rather, they did... I walked across the street to the extremely overpriced but cute clothing shop to bide time...) and we had great service by JORGE.

Amazing coffee, (though a bit pricey), busy-but I got what I needed and I am very high maintenance. I think it's all in the presentation, meaning, just speak up when you need something, don't expect them to know you need extra napkins when the place is packed.

The potato pancakes were fabulous. Yum, yum.

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Elite '08

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Denise D.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
10/03/2007

The pancakes are amazing here.  

I like stuffing my face with the following:

-Potato Pancakes
-German/Swedish Pancakes
-This huge apple thing
-Pretty much anything on the menu

It's true, they have very tasty coffee here, and it's also true about the service.  The service is baaaaad.  Waiters can be a little pissy at times, and they suck at refilling your water/coffee.  

And the line can get out of hand.  To really enjoy breakfast here, you gotta come around 6:00am in the morning.  Any time afterward is just not worth it to me, it gets too crowded, and the wait for food gets too long, and the waiters become even crabbier.  

I get better service at IHOP.

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Elite '08

54

199

Joe A.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
01/01/2008

Food wise, think Original Pancake House, in Kearny Mesa. The decor at Richard Walker's is nicer, and the place is about 1/4 of the size of OPH, but the food is very comparable. In my book, the OPH has the edge, simply because they've got a parking lot (though it's often filled).

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Elite '08

350

101

brigette l.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
09/30/2007

I was excited with all the hype and advertising it got.  I wasn't too impressed with this place. It was really crowded, the service was bad, I went without water for a while and the food was mediocre.  We had to sit outside, there was a dump truck out front the entire time picking up trash.  It smelled bad and was annoying.  After it left there was a loud exhaust fan from the Pancake House itself.   I also thought it was weird there was a unixex bathroom in the middle of the place where everyone could see you go in and out.

On an up side the coffee was good.  I felt this place was too expensive for the meal we recieved.  I am not sure I will come back here.  Plus there was no alcohol or BELVEDERE.  Boo!

too loud and crowded meh holla.

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Elite '08

137

39

Aaron H.

San Diego, CA

1 star rating
08/21/2007

One word - BLECH! Can I get some overhead exhaust duct noise with my pancakes, please. Okay, I'll be the first to admit, it takes a lot to impress me, especially where restaurants are concerned. I don't consider myself some Gourmet-reading, culinary school graduate, four-star restaurant eating "food snob", but I don't cook, so I eat out...a lot! And, having done that for the better part of 14 years, I trust my eyes, gut & taste buds - I know, for me, what works and what doesn't.  This place doesn't - and after multiple visits to give Richard Walkers its "due course," I've got to say, three strikes and you're out.

First complaint - service sucks, period. Now, we're all getting fairly accustomed to the emerging 'LA-tude' prevalent with downtown's bartenders at hot spots like Bondi, W, Stingaree, etc. But I definitely don't expect to get it from the part-time servers and hosts at a breakfast joint. And, exactly how long should it take to grind, brew & serve coffee? I guess my tables' particular pot of java was being shipped directly from Colombia because 25 minutes after being seated at a 'dirty' table, we still didn't have silverware, let alone water or coffee.

Second complaint - the food, mediocre at best. Hey, here's a news flash RW! If you want to be known for your fantastic pancakes and delicious breakfast entrees, you might want to have your kitchen team make sure they're actually cooked...all the way.  Doughy, soft-centered pancakes, cold crepes and runny eggs don't make me lick my lips hoping for seconds.

Third complaint - the noise, especially on the patio. WTF?!?! I get that you need outdoor seating as it more that triples the size of the restaurant. But PLEASE, I beg you, work a deal with building mgmt to at least muffle the sound from the exhaust ducts. All three times I've been there, it sounded like we were on the tarmac at Lindbergh Field.

There are hundreds of places in SD to go for a great breakfast, and trust me, all of them (Cafe 222, Park House, Hash House, Good Egg, etc.) are worth whatever wait time for their superior service, food and atmosphere over Richard Walkers.  'Nuff Said.

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