The Original Pancake House
2229 Swallow Hill Rd, Green Tree, PA, 15220
The Original Pancake House Menu
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Address :
2229 Swallow Hill Rd
Green Tree, PA, 15220 - Phone (412) 279-1442
- Website https://www.originalpancakehouse.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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A C.
delicious!!! really fresh ingredients, everything tastes like its made from scratch.
(5)Raymond D.
Great place, Nice location, nice clean restaurant, good food and usually we have good service. Personally i enjoy this place during the week. On the weekends it can get a little crazy and loud beyond what is comfortable for chatting. Also their menu prices go up on the weekends. You pay more for the same food depending on the day lol. I have never seen another resturaunt do that.
(4)Mark M.
After recieving a dirty coffee cup , the owner/ manager gave me defense attitude.....like it was my fault.when my food dropped there was a long and big piece of hair in my Dutch baby.........again they asked if I want another( I'm thinking No I like foreign hair in my food)..........at the end my family finished before I even had my food and I would assume they would want to at the very least pay for my horrible breakfast.......The Answer was No! And we don't care if your a decent customer who comes in a lot.......we don't care if you come back.............to the owner or person who called themselves an owner......you suck as a restaraunteur
(1)LouCindy A.
Simply elegant for a pancake house. The place sits atop a hill and is decorated and maintained beautifully. We love the original pancake house and it is unfortunate there isn't one closer than 2 hours from our home. While we were in Pittsburgh we were lucky enough to find this place close to where we stayed. The food, coffee and decor are great! The freshly squeezed OJ is fantastic, from what I was able to enjoy. My one year old Isabella decided she liked it too and frank most of it. :-) This place will not disappoint. This gem in Pittsburgh is simply great! It's a must! Enjoy!!
(5)Joe D.
I've been wanting to review TOPH for awhile and on my fourth visit I figured it was about time. Hit or miss on other visits, my fourth time was here was the kicker. First, the place doesn't look like a pancake house. With a little more wood paneling, this place could be confused with a steak house if you weren't aware of where you were. Beautiful light fixtures hang from a high ceiling, and high, wood framed archways welcome you into the restaurant. Easy listening music play softly in the background. I looked over the menu and decided on a short stack of buckwheat pancakes and a cup of coffee. For those of us worried about caloric intake TOPH lists calories for each meal (sans syrup) and a short stack (3) of buckwheat is 560 calories. Pancakes are my comfort food, my indulgent meal. The cakes were hot off the griddle, steaming and just a little undercooked in the middle which added to their tenderness. The syrup added the sweetness needed and complimented the the buckwheat pancakes to a tee. Did I detect a touch of cinnamon in the syrup or was it in the batter? Who cares, it was delicious. The coffee was nothing special even though the menu exclaims it's award winning and they sell if on premises for home brewing. The place is overly noisy, no acoustic absorbing ceiling tiles to keep the customer's conversations from bouncing off the walls. For convenience, at the bottom of the bill they give a gratuity calculation or 18 or 20%. Way better than Eat N Park, Denny's and King's, my only issue is the parking lot, smallish and way undersized for a restaurant this size. Avoid this place on a Sunday morning, as I'm sure it's packed to the rafters. My bill was 8.56 for three cakes and endless coffee.
(3)Casey D.
Went to this place for the first time last weekend. Went at about 11 a.m. and there was about a 20-minute wait..not too bad. The menu is overwhelmingly huge, but luckily we had already picked out what we wanted while we were waiting for our table. I'm not a big fan of sweet type of food for breakfast (which is a shame, because they had some amazing-sounding options), so I got the kielbasa scrambler, and it was VERY good. Good portion, good price, and very tasty. Boyfriend got the Dutch baby. There is a little bit of an extra wait for that, but it's worth it. It was amazing! He ate every bite. Apparently, it's their classic dish. The place is decorated kind of fancy-like. But the customers around us seemed kind of...snooty or something. I don't know. It seemed like a very conservative kind of place, where you might go with the family after church. Which is fine, because it's all about the food, but this isn't somewhere I'd go and feel totally comfortable, personally.
(4)Melissa D.
I've been a few times now and the food is always really good. The service is very nice, but a little slow. I believe our waitress took advantage of the fact that we were younger and chill customers and choose to ignore us during a very busy time because of it. We waited 30+ minutes before she came back to our table for our check. But she was a very kind women, and I understand the struggle of a rush on a Saturday morning, so I won't hold it against her. I'll go again.
(4)Irma K.
Food was good but pricey. Gave you large portions enough to share. Restroom was disgusting.
(3)Mark D.
Decent service and environment, horrible cook. Omelette was atrociously overcooked and would not have been served by anyone who knows what one is supposed to look like. Bacon was also ridiculously overcooked and resembled beef jerky more than anything in consistency and color. Previous experiences here were great, but this one was pathetic. Overall, a massive disappointment.
(2)Katie C.
Pros: food was great, portions were big, staff was very nice, coffee was hot and plentiful :-) I had the banana pancakes with bacon and eggs. My husband had the apple cinnamon pancakes with bacon and eggs. Both dishes were delicious. We didn't have to wait long for our food either. We both didn't care for the tropical syrup. Cons: parking.... this was a big one for me. The lot is really small. It is difficult to get in and out of the lot when the restaurant is busy. This might actually prevent me from returning often. Definitely a place to go but maybe only during less crowded hours.
(4)Patrick P.
My friends and family enjoy TOPH very much. They offer many options on pancakes (my guests ordered the buttermilk and chocolate variety). I am a sucker for their omelettes. You can go large (6 egg!) if you want. I kept it small - the size of a chipotle burrito with some home fries. Great Service / Great food / Good Price.
(4)Jason B.
Chocolate chip pancakes were amazing! No need for syrup. Bacon pancakes are as expected, a wonderful achievement of the modern culinary movement. For everyone complaining about the parking lot, grow a set. It's a hard right turn, get over it. Service was excellent. Management watched over like a hawk, and greeted all patrons.
(4)Joy C.
I forgot how good The Original Pancake House is. Their breakfast is so delicious! My favorite is the strawberry pancakes which comes with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and house made strawberry syrup. Their omelettes are very good as well. Their portions are huge and prices are good. Definitely worth eating @ Pancake House.
(4)Lena W.
Great pancakess - light and fluffy, not too filling. Hubby had strawberry french toast, also delicious. Visiting from Georgia...highly recommend. Found thisnplace and came due to Yelp reviewers positive comments. Great choice!
(4)Serena T.
Met up with a few out of town friends for brunch at this spot and was pleased with the food. When we got there there was a 20 minute wait, but we may have waited less than 10 minutes before being seated. I ordered scrambled eggs and sausage patties and a side order of pancakes (be aware that side orders come with 3 pancakes...I would have been content with 1!). I only had one of the pancakes because that's way too much food for me but I will say the pancake was delish. I can't say the same for my husband's blueberry waffles. Rather than have the blueberries cooked in the waffle batter they were thrown atop of a waffle. While this may not have been a problem if the blueberries were fresh (they weren't, they were frozen) or in the least bit sweet (they weren't and barely edible) my husband took off all the blueberries and ate them without it. I get that it's not blueberry season so there may be an issue with getting fresh blueberries, but tossing inedible (still cold/partially frozen) blueberries on to an otherwise decent waffle makes it worse. I would suggest sticking with their pancakes or getting a plain waffle. The eggs and sausage are good, but not sure how those can be messed up!.
(3)Davidcia G.
I've been here a handful of times over the span of a few years. They have a huge breakfast menu, and also a lunch menu. The lunch menu is mostly sandwiches and wraps. I love the decor inside and everyone is always friendly. The location is behind Denny's all the way up on the hill.
(3)October R.
Some of the things I like: *decor *prices *bathrooms are clean *ample parking *food:when it's good, it's good. Things I do not like: *service: awful on several occasions *food:not always on point
(3)John V.
I had breakfast there 6/18 /14. I had a omelet which was very dry and undercooked. The service was poor. My waitress was giving me my check before my food ever came. I asked for extra butter when i did get my meal and waitress never brought it. The environment Is nice but food and service was below par. Very overrated.
(2)Kim H.
I highly recommend this restaurant for breakfast or brunch! The food is wonderful and they have a large variety of pancakes to choose from (blueberry is my favorite) and they have many other great breakfast items including omelets that are HUGE & delicious. They have sandwiches and lunch items as well. The prices are fair and the food is fresh. One negative is parking, which is very limited, but I would highly recommend this restaurant for a great meal.
(5)Dominic L.
Well I've been here a bunch of times and they never diappoint. Love the atmosphere and the food is very large portions.
(5)Sarah L.
I enjoy this place for their pancakes and their eggs which they always cook just the way I like them, crispy on the outside and the yoke still a little bit runny Some of their waffle and omelette combinations are interesting and my kids seem to enjoy the waffles with fruit on top
(3)Michael K.
This place was a great find! Had to wait a little as it was busy for Sunday breakfast, but once we were sat it was worth the wait! The staff was incredibly friendly and prompt. The food was delicious, and the portions were a large size. Our group got pancakes, both regular and blueberry and they were good. The omelettes were the size of the plates and extremely filling. Crab cake eggs benedict were also a hit! All and all worth the wait, and would return at any time!!
(5)Stella T.
Being a traveler and compared to the other major cities that I've been in, the breakfast was actually very well priced for the quality. I love how their menu allows you to build your own plate to some degree since many items are broken out individually. I went in mid-week and was quickly seated. However, most importantly...the bacon quality is really really outstanding.
(5)Lyn R.
I love, love this place. Now, it is a little on the expensive side, but it is well worth it. The last time I was there, I had the almond french toast. Absolutely amazing!!! If you are hungry, get an omelet. They come in four egg or six egg. It's a breakfast fit for a King. Yes, five stars for a breakfast place is odd, but it's always that good. Even the coffee is fantastic.
(5)Jose V.
This place has some good Pancakes. I like fast breakfast, I.e. Waffle House but you can not compare the both. If you have time this is the place. There should never be a speedy breakfast, an these guys are great with the quality of the food.
(3)Swati D.
Great atmosphere and beautiful restaurant. Very reasonably priced. Pancakes were phenomenal, sourdough toast was great, but the eggs were a bit much ..... Not sure why one needs to eat 4 or 6 egg omelette ! But they were tasty too I suppose. Junior plates for the little ones is plenty! Quick polite professional service. We came from out of town and I wish there was a classy breakfast joint by us! A definite must for everyone.
(4)Julia Z.
Gluten-Free paradise! This is the first GF meal I've had with a "bread-y" component (pancakes) that didn't make me miss the real thing. First of all they have a pretty good GF selection and most of thier syrups are GF. Second, well thier GF pancakes made me cry. I literally teared up. They were better than the NOT GF kind. Amazing! Third, the waitress we got was extremely knowledgeable about GF and answered several of my questions before I even asked. Easiest stress-free Gluten-Free dining experience I've ever had. Thanks for a wonderful Saturday brunch for the family.
(5)Anastasia S.
Just as we sat down a young male waiter yelled at the hostess and made a scene RIGHT IN FRONT OF US! that we were sat in his section, she herself ended up taking care of us and I'm glad she did. However, I totally understand there is a system, we were one of three people sat in the section and he was waiting on one party of the three. I get this is a chain and for what it's worth, it's good breakfast food. My finicky boyfriend was very pleased with his eggs Benedict. I'll go back as long as that guy isn't my waiter. I had view of kitchen and saw his attitude through out the whole time. It was dissapointing. I work in the food industry and understand situations and attitude, there is no excuse for his behavior, at least take it away from view of your customer.
(3)Sowmya S.
LOVE the place and food. Sundays - always full and you have to wait. But then, it's worth the wait!
(4)Omar C.
This place should be called the best place on earth to eat delicious pancakes that will make your stomach crave more and more. I enjoyed just about everything here. It has a very simple elegance to the interior. Not over done and almost too plain but somehow it works. Interior: As I said above, its plain and simple; very easy on the eyes. Service: I enjoyed the frequent coffee refills. I had close to 3x more than my usual here and I was wired like Tweak from South Park. The food came out quick and the servers were friendly. Food: They serve a typical 'breakfast menu' but its exploding with options. They have a large variety of pancakes and breakfast meats to choose from. They seem to be great with pancakes and breakfast meats, however the eggs I saw seemed to have sat in the air too long and turned a grey color. The pancakes are like a dessert to me. They aren't fluffy but more dense and like a fluffy cake. Its very delicious. Each meal comes with 3 6in pancakes so you definitely get your moneys worth here. In the end you will leave here feeling like you ate 10 bowls of Wheaties and still be a champion. I plan to return on Sundays.
(4)A Ly M.
For starters, the restaurant is incredibly large, so don't be afraid to bring a group. My husband and I have never once had slow or bad service. All of the staff really help each other out and are sure to make your dining experience a good one. It's nice when you're at breakfast and your coffee doesn't get cold bc they're always quick to refill it. The dress is casual. I have tried (and LOVED) the spinach eggs Benedict, the blueberry pancakes, the breakfast crepes, and the corned beef hash. I hope you enjoy this place as much as we do.
(5)Wendy C.
It was hard to find parking on Sundays. The atmosphere is really nice but noisy. It reminds me of the waffle house but more elegant. You have to wait to be seated which took around 15 mins. After we sat, the waiter did not come for like 5 mins. When she came, we were ready to order. We had to wait around 30 mins for our food. The food was good but I was disappointed in some of the dishes such as the fruit crepe. The crepe was soggy and salty. Service is OK. The waiter did not come to check on us until we were done eating. The prices are reasonable.
(3)Kendra E.
I've been here multiple times with friends and family and I've loved everything I've had! I've had the buttermilk pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, pumpkin pancakes, Swedish pancakes, and a blueberry blintz. The bacon and sausage are delicious, you can tell it's of good quality. They use real maple syrup and cream. The prices are very reasonable and the food is of high quality.
(5)D K.
If you have a lot of hungry mouthes to feed this is your place. Huge portions with excellent flavors. The banana foster french toast is a winner. If you like eggs benedict i highly recommend them. The omlettes are quite large and look like an upside down pie pan. The three times i have been there i have not been disappointed, but like most breakfast joints if you dont like your homefries raw ask for them to be well done.
(4)John Z.
I have been there four times and have had a really good breakfast each time. I love the coconut pancakes and their homemade whipped cream!!! My kids love the Rainbow and Reese's pancakes. I haven't tried the omelets yet, but they are huge and look great. If you like breakfast, then you need to give this place a try. Oh, the coffee is pretty good too.
(4)Partha P.
Good place. Specially for large groups with children. Lots of choice on the menu. Their Swedish pancakes are great.
(4)Mary S.
Great service and excellent food, what else could you ask for? Got here with my family in the midst of the lunch rush. We were in a bit of a hurry, but even with a line they had us at a table in less than 5 minutes. The menu is extensive, sandwiches, crepes (sweet and savory), pancakes of course, and so much more It was really hard for me to choose just one item because everything sounded so delicious. I finally decided on the cherry crepes, which were superb. The crepes were tender and delicate, the cherry sauce was wonderful and not cloying sweet. I would definitely eat here again.
(5)David O.
I love this spot as a go-to breakfast spot. The Original Pancake house has a great menu for a price that is comparable to what I consider to be lower quality diners (Denny's and Eat n' Park). Why not go to the Original Pancake house if you have a choice between the two? There's plenty of setting in gigantic booths. I think the interior is furnished with Amish made fixtures. If they're not Amish, they still give you a quality feel. The booths are huge and eating in this place definitively won't leave you feeling desperate for your space to enjoy the time and meal there. I've eaten there many times. I'm a huge fan of the weekday specials which are dirt cheap for such great combos! Most of the time I find myself there on a weekend though when the specials are not offered. It's then I really have to start choosing what I'm gonna satisfy myself with that morning. Pancakes are a no brainer, but all you get is pancakes unless you pay for a side of something else. That's the advantage of the weekday specials; your choice of eggs, meat, and pancakes (regular or special) for a low price. I've had so many of the special pancakes I can't decide which is my favorite. I can't say I've ever been disappointed though. I did get a crazy stomach ache one day trying to finish a full stack. Beware! It's a lot of pancakes! The omelets are also great. Again, on the weekends you're limited to a 6 eggs omelet VS. the weekday when you can get a smaller size. 6 eggs is a huge omelet! My favorite here is clear though...the Greek omelet is amazing! Stuffed with lamb, spinach, and that delicious cucumber sauce. Wow, what a great meal! One of my only complaints is about the orange juice. They only offer one kind. I think it's fresh squeezed on site. I'm all about fresh squeezed, but there must be something about the oranges they use or maybe I just don't like pulp, but it's never what I'm looking for. The coffee, however, is great and you won't have any trouble taking down several cups of that. When you're ready to go remember you have to pay up front near the exit. Don't sit at the table with your card out waiting for the waitress to take it for you. She probably will say something (because all the staff has been friendly and accommodating in my experience), but you can save yourself some minutes just knowing ahead of time! We you do leave, you can look over the hill to the Denny's below and feel good about yourself that you made the better choice :-).
(4)Marilyn H.
Honestly, the best breakfast in Pittsburgh. They use the best ingredients and the food is delicious. They are always sending out good coupons in the mail. Their Monday thru Friday specials are quite the deal. The pancakes are amazing and the service superb.
(5)Brent S.
Average at best. I am pretty sure that my buttermilk pancakes, potatoe pancakes, eggs, and sausage links were not cooked enough. Granted, I recieved my food less than 3 minutes after I ordered but I would have been okay with waiting another 2 minutes for a completely cooked meal. My mom's pancake recipe is much better anyway...
(3)DJ J.
Solid breakfast. Great service. Our waitress was a little older and so good. Bought the food out fast, due to only two arms she would serve a couple of plates and then acknowledge what would be out next. Know when to refill our cups and glasses. The Blueberry Pancakes were good with plump fresh blueberries, and came with a small pitcher of fresh blueberries with some blueberry sauce. From experience know to order the short stack and our waitress also advised that it was 3 pancakes. Plenty to eat. The bacon was crisp and is very thick. We always seem to get the front room which is quite noisy, all hard surfaces. The back room does have carpet, wonder if it is quieter? Our waitress shifted sides of the table to take orders because she could not here people those at the other end of the table when ordering or their questions. My glass and others were plastic with cracks in them. I mentioned it to our waitress and she said she would look for some without the cracks but most were cracked but did not leak and she would do her best. Maybe IHOP should try a different glass?
(3)Erin H.
Great service, horrible food. Food undercooked and sent back only to be returned undercooked.
(1)Dante B.
If you can find a spot in the lot, then give it a try. The building is pretty neat, and the prices are reasonable. I had an omelet with American cheese (it was a Friday in Lent, so I can't speak for the meat); they make each omlete with 6 or maybe even 8 eggs, and it fills up the whole plate. It was excellent, as was the fruit salad. I wasn't feeling the love from the pancakes or the coffee, however. The coffee was extremely strong, so that's fine if you like it that way, but I don't. There wasn't really anything wrong with the pancakes, they just weren't anything to write home about; they had a bit of a burnt taste. Because of the omelets, however, I'd probably pick this place over a Denny's or something. Word to the wise: map this place before you come. We came from McKeesport and went through all of the South Hills, and it ended up taking us about an hour and fifteen minutes to get there. However, it ended up being maybe a mile from the Greentree Rd. exit on the Parkway West, so we could have been there in 35 minutes had we taken that route.
(3)Edmund G.
Just had breakfast there today. Not too happy with this place. Place being a breakfast place does not offer jam and/or jelly unless you offer to pay an additional charge (.75). No flavor syrup unless it comes with the meal and/or you offer to pay another additional charge of 75 cents. Place has a great decore except the lights bulbs are out ing every fixrure and maybe because they didn't have time to clean the glass on the fixtures. Very noisy. Don't think I'll be back any time too soon. Did it once. Over it - "whatever".
(2)Sarah K.
Let me preface this review by saying that I do, in fact, have a hard time spending any large sum of money on a pancake. They're really easy, quick, and cheap to make at home and it irks me when restaurants bump up the price for a stack. Thank being said- I felt like all prices, portions and quality were wonderful at The Original Pancake House. I had an order of Three Little Pigs in Blankets. The pancakes were moist, with a much better flavor than I anticipated. I loved the sweet and salty of the pancake with the sausage. My boyfriend ordered Banana Pancakes. (He's insisting there were walnuts but I do not see such a dish on their menu whilst checking online) He really enjoyed them, but I did think they were a little too sweet for my taste. The reason I'm giving the Original Pancake House a 3 star rating is because of it's location and competition. Not only is it right next door to Denny's (say what you will about their food) but it's right down the road from Gab N Eat and Barb's. The difficult parking lot, that is always full, would definitely sway me to pick Gab N Eat or Barb's- especially if I wasn't in the mood for pancakes.
(3)Robbie O.
Decent food, but nothing special. Pancakes are better than omelets.
(3)Robert H.
Lots of food. Good quality. Much better than the other chain options for breakfast. Could use some sound dampening.
(4)Stephanie B.
Good, but not amazing. Bacon was way too thick and fatty - I am more of a thin and crispy person. Their pancakes are delicious, just as one would hope as it is in fact 'The Original Pancake House'. Reasonably priced, and a very clean venue. Honestly I feel this may be one of Pttsburgh's better venues to go to for breakfast or brunch... they don't seem to have a whole lot else. Going here is worth your while for a tasty meal that is priced right.
(3)Kati S.
Pancakes make me happy. They also make me fat, but that's a problem for another day. This place has some damn good pancakes. I had the Georgia pecan pancakes, with a side of turkey sausage. The pancakes were amazing, and I'm pretty sure they make their own syrup. The sausage was almost scrapple-like, with the right amount of spice. The short stack is enormous--three big pancakes--I have no idea what the full order would be. Tip for the out of towner on finding this place--It's up the hill tucked in behind the Denny's (hard to see behind the mounds of snow that were present when I visited).
(5)Rob E.
Hearty food, quick, friendly service, reasonable prices. Solid breakfast joint.
(4)Natalie F.
Yummy but overpriced for a chain. I like the cherry pancakes. Their homemade whip cream is really good. I didn't like their ordinary link sausage, latte or corned beef hash. Stick to their specialty, the cakes!
(4)Portia H.
Parking: is a problem, but mom parks in the handicapped spot. Mom says this place is hidden behind Denny's. She's been here before but remembered it when she was driving down the hill. Mom refused the menu because it was overwhelming, and it unfolds like an accordion. Mom really really likes the Sour Cherry Crepes. Mom loves the cherries and next time she's excited to try the homemade whipped cream. She refused the whipped cream today because she assumed it would be out of a can. Mom says she will ask for her cherry sauce on the side next time because she would like for it to be more tart. Perhaps she'll ask for a lemon? She likes the flatware. She says it's not flimsy.
(5)Christina T.
I went to TOPH on a late Sunday morning with a fairly large group. We had to wait about 30-40 minutes to be seated, though it was all worth it when we got our food. If you do decide to eat here, I recommend the pancakes (hence the name). I was amazed at all of the unique pancakes. I ended up sticking with the traditional buttermilk pancakes, which were fluffy, buttery, and melted in your mouth. My friend got the s'mores, however, which was adorned with mini marshmallows, chocolate syrup, and turned out to be equally delicious. The wait for the food was also a little long, however our waitress was very kind and friendly and kept checking in on us and refilling our drinks. The interior is nice, not very special, and easy on the eyes. It was a little loud, however, I loved it and can't wait to go back.
(5)Brittany A.
Love their food! Always fast service, as well!
(5)Darren W.
Note: OPH's parking lot is perilously hard to get into, particularly on weekends. I advise you to go there late in the morning or early in the afternoon during the week. We tried to visit at least twice before only to leave in frustration because we could not find a parking spot. With that word of guidance, I can candidly say that The Original Pancake House was worth the effort. Kay and I each had an unplanned day off last week, and we knew this would likely be our best chance to go. Arriving at around 11AM, we were at first dismayed to find the lot full yet again after traveling that winding, mountainous, nearly endless road to what comes off as a shining castle in the sky, but before we could even think of turning back, a silver-haired gent in an equally cinereal luxury car began to pull out. With glee, we took that vacated space, entered the restaurant, and were seated with no wait whatsoever. Kay and I were welcomed by a greying, urbane, sociable, modish, and towering fellow I'll refer to as The Brunchman. He was elated that we finally made it and seemed to be precognitive; we felt he knew us despite never having met him. "You've come to us at last," he declared as he gracefully skirred towards an empty and clean table with Kay and I in pursuit. Just as we sat down, our young, lanky, bespectacled server appeared before us seemingly instantaneously. Her name was (I think?) Nicole, and she is not only an aspiring model but also previously hailed from Kay's general area. In Nicole, we both made a new friend, discussing concerts, food, and life with her as we indulged on delecacies from OPH's expansive bill of fare. When I saw that the strawberries came with fresh whipped cream, I knew what my first course would be considering my obsession with said dairy product. The strawberries themselves were ripe and pure. In a separate bowl came an alabaster cloud of felicity, and through the cloud were the strawberries dredged, making for simple, natural pleasures of the palate. A Crabcake Eggs Benedict came next, and with that, my lone complaint. Hollandaise Sauce is a tricky thing to master. I've tried to make it myself with somewhat mixed results. In this case, it simply tasted like warmed over, unseasoned egg yolks. However, the eggs were poached expertly, the duo of crabcakes were crammed with genuine crustacean meat, the buttery English muffins were plush, and the pink remoulade, the dish's saving grace, was such a wedding of tangy and creamy that the bland Hollandaise sauce was easily overpowered and forgotten. Psst. Brunchman. My mom will sell you her Hollandaise recipe. Kay had the Coconut Pancakes, which were as crispy as they were fluffy and came with exquisitely airy whipped butter as well as an edibly esoteric "hot tropical syrup" that evoked sheer Paradise with its fruity sugariness. Also eaten by Kay was an order of Corned Beef Hash. I found the large, chunky, auroral potatoes to be flawless and the plentiful corned beef to be as keenly kosher and arcanely flavorful as any I've ever had, but Kay didn't like it as much as I did, sadly enough. Thankfully, her pancakes made her happy. Enter: The Dutch Baby. My mother had spoken of it in whispers when telling me of her experience with the North Hills OPH. Since it takes 20 minutes to prepare, it is recommended that one order it with the rest of brunch. Minutes before it was placed in front of me, The Brunchman dramatically gave me a consultation. With his eyes ablaze and his long arms oscillating as if he was about to cast a spell, he said "Take the butter, spread it...AROUND the interior of the...errr...baby. Then squeeze some lemon onto it and dust it with the powdered sugar." After his lecture, he kissed his fingers and floated away, asking rhetorically with a beam across his lips, "You'll be back tomorrow morning, no?" When it was ready for service, I followed The Brunchman's instructions closely. The Dutch Baby is not a pancake; it is a bowl of doughy love, made lardy by the butter, lightly sweet by the powdered sugar, and acidic by the lemon. However, something was amiss. Syrup! I drizzled some onto the puff, and Nicole leaped forward to stop me only to be held back gently by the grinning Brunchman. He pressed a finger to her lips, shook his head, and looked my way only to nod in approval. "I was hoping you'd do that," The Brunchman said. "I forgot to mention the syrup. You did well, young man." The syrup would be what took this pudding-like dish, also known as a Bismarck, into Shangri-la. As I finished, The Brunchman provided a history lesson, and Nicole spoke with us some more, this time about her cosmetology goals and former places of employment. Kay and I were so taken by the OPH's hospitality, we almost forgot that we weren't at someone's home and had other plans for the day. Although our hunger had been abated, we felt compelled to stay...and return...
(4)Jim M.
They seem to pack you in when you have a large party. This is a problem since your order is multiple plates. DO NOT order the Crab Cake Eggs Benedict - there is far too much cheap fillers in their crake cakes. I did not care for having to pay as you head out the door, maybe since our table was near the register and the lines at times crowded our table. I found nothing to make me come back. Our waitress seemed to run past the table avoiding eye contact and was poor on checking back.
(3)Matt K.
This is a chain that I'm pretty sure is new to the Pittsburgh area. Mercifully this was built right behind the Denny's. If you go to Denny's instead of "The Original" for breakfast, you're a moron. Portions are definitely big. You might be just fine with a short stack. Who doesn't love chocolate chip pancakes? If you get sick of them, try the chocolate chip waffle! The "Dutch Baby" intrigued us for a while. We finally tried it and were underwhelmed. The Apple Pancakes are awesome though.
(4)Mike S.
One of the best breakfasts spots around. You will never leave here hungry (huge portions). Lots of great pancakes and omelettes to choose from. Good coffee and service in this large restaurant. Sometimes a small wait for tables and difficulty parking due to the popularity of the place.
(5)Troy F.
This place is awesome! The only downside is that next time I am going to have to remember to not eat for 3 days prior to arrival as the servings are HUGE! The staff was very friendly, the place is clean and nicely decorated, and the prices are very reasonable considering how much food you get. They had a special the day we were there of deep fried bananna nut bread; and I now truly believe that anything can be deep fried and made into a delicious eating event. Lots of tables and space and even the wait when crowded was no more than 30 minutes. We are looking forward to going back.
(5)Tim W.
OMG! This place is delicious! IHOP who?! The buttermilk pancakes are out of this world! The homemade syrup is as well. A short stack is three pancakes and a full stack is six pancakes. A short stack is more than enough for the average person. They give you a huge portion of corn beef harsh. It's pretty good but, not as good as Pamela's. Their fresh squeezed orange juice is something special as well but at $4 a glass is pretty steep. I can buy a whole bottle of Simply Orange for that! My wife had a Reuben and a cup of Wedding Soup. The Wedding Soup was the best we have ever had but it had no noodles. Huh? A must try place! Get there early as they close at 3 pm.
(5)Kay E.
I wasn't crazy about the corned beef hash. But I do recommend the coconut pancakes, which come with an awesome tropical glaze. I got a taste of Darren's Crabcakes Benedict and they were scrumptious. The service was great, our server was adorable and talkative, and overall, they serve good breakfasts here. Just be careful. Their lot can be impossible to get into. try to go on a weekday morning if you can. We tried coming here a few times before and could not find a spot.
(4)