Original Pancake House
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Phone: (480) 946-4902
Editorial Review for Original Pancake House – by Citysearch Staff
In Short
Founded in Oregon circa 1953, this simply-furnished spot owes its success to its creative menu and fresh ingredients. Batters are made on the premises; a special "sourdough starter" keeps treats from tasting overly sweet. Patrons choose from eggs, waffles, crepes and oven-baked omelets, as well as signature plates like blueberry pancakes (served with or without compote), giant cinnamon-glazed apple pancakes, thin and chewy "49-ers" and the air-filled, lemon-and-sugar-topped "Dutch Baby."
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Insider Tips
What to DrinkWash meals down with fresh-squeezed orange or grapefruit juice, buttermilk, house-blend coffee or postum, a caffeine-free substitute.
Know Before You GoThe apple pancake is large enough for two people, but be patient--it takes 15 minutes to prepare.
User Reviews for Original Pancake House
11/06/2007 Posted by kiitah
I moved to Phoenix from Atlanta, and in Atlanta, The Original Pancake House was my favorite place to go for a great breakfast. Upon moving here, I was overjoyed to find there is one in Scottsdale, so the family and I load up the car and make the drive. Boy was I disappointed. First, they don't take credit cards! We had to leave and find an ATM, then come back to the incredibly crowded parking lot and wait forever for a table. The service was slow, and the waitress was not enthusiastic or very friendly. The food... man, what a difference. It is not nearly as good as the locations in Georgia. Sure, it's good food, but not EXCELLENT food like the items I had become used to. It's better than IHOP, but not worth the prices you have to pay (in cash lol). Coffee used to come with a pitcher of real heavy cream... not here. There just isn't the high quality, gourmet touch to the food like there is on other cities. The pancakes were nothing special. I'm not sure what they have done to the recipes to make them be sub-standard for the caliber of quality you can find at TOPH's in other states, but I wouldn't waste my time or money. It breaks my heart to say this, but if you have experienced TOPH in another place, you will be disappointed.
Pros: not many
Cons: high price for average food
08/02/2007 Posted by jdelapp42
I had heard of the Original Pancake House from an unusual source: The blog for a web comic that I frequent. The artist regularly went to TOPH when a comic convention took him to a nearby city, and he absolutely raved about the food (particularly the Dutch Baby). Flash forward two years. The company I currently work for sent me to Dallas to attend a training seminar, and while I was in Texas I got the chance to visit some old friends (who do not live in Dallas but live nearby). While at the hotel I perused one of the guides and saw, to my delight, that there was a TOPH there, and so we went to eat. The food was amazing, the atmosphere comfortable, and the service impeccable (despite the fact that the joint was a-jumpin'). More than that, they had a Monte Cristo - a delicious ham and swiss sandwich that is egg-battered and deep fried - and since Bennigan's closed I haven't been able to find one anywhere else. When I returned to Phoenix, I discovered there was a TOPH in Scottsdale, and immediately told my roommates that we HAD to go. I was disappointed. The host was slow in acknowledging that we were there, and then sat a couple who came in after us at a table large enough to seat our party before we were seated. Our server, after he had a few of his tables "dropped", became more cordial and provided fine service. However, to my dismay the menu was lacking that Monte Cristo I had been so desiring! When the food came, it was decent quality, but the dish I got - the Tahitian Maiden's Dream - was lacking in flavor at the Scottsdale location compared to the dish I received at the Dallas location. Add in several tables-full of rude adults and children who attempted to encroach on our table-space twice, as well as prices that were a little higher than expected compared to the Texas TOPH, and overall I was dissatisfied with my experience at Scottsdale's TOPH. Take a lesson from the Lone Star State, TOPH Scottsdale, and I might give you another try.
Pros: Better food quality than Denny's, with a more exotic and flavorful selection.
Cons: Definitely sub-par when compared to the Original Pancake House in Dallas.
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