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The Original Pancake HouseB+

1756 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 · Pancake restaurant, American restaurant, Breakfast restaurant · Los Angeles

A popular, generous-portion South Bay breakfast institution with excellent pancakes and occasional wait, service, noise, and value frustrations.

Why this grade

The Original Pancake House delivers strong food quality anchored by praised pancake texture and generous portions, but inconsistent execution across repeat visits prevents a higher grade. Service ranges from attentive to delayed depending on timing, while the classic diner setting appeals to both regulars and deliberate South Bay breakfast seekers without reaching destination status.

The full picture

The Original Pancake House feels like a busy, well-loved South Bay breakfast institution: casual, comfortable, and often bustling enough to produce a wait. Regulars describe hot coffee, friendly service, and plates that look almost comically generous; one diner summed up the appeal as a place where “you should arrive hungry.” Peak weekends can be noisy, and several recent groups report uneven seating and table attention. The cooking is classic American breakfast rather than experimental—fluffy pancakes, oven-baked specialties, omelettes, crepes, waffles, eggs, and savory hash. The Dutch Baby and Apple Pancake are the destination dishes, while the menu’s breadth gives less adventurous diners plenty of familiar choices. Food is usually praised as fresh, hot, and filling, though isolated reviews mention excess salt, overcooking, dry delivery food, and disappointing execution. Families are especially well served: the current menu has a dedicated children’s section with $7.99 half-order French toast, blueberry pancakes, chocolate-chip pancakes, and small dollar pancakes, plus a $11.95 Junior Plate. Reviews also mention successful family meals and gluten-free pancakes, though parents should specify the children’s menu clearly and expect larger groups to face more seating friction.

What to order here

• Dutch Baby
• Corned Beef Hash
• Apple Pancake

What stands out

• The excitement of cutting into a hot, shareable Dutch Baby or Apple Pancake
• Pancakes that are frequently described as fluffy, fresh, and better than ordinary chain breakfast fare
• Oversized servings that commonly produce leftovers or make sharing practical
• Bottomless-feeling coffee and attentive refills on strong service visits
• The warm, old-school breakfast-house feeling and loyal regular community

A few notes

• Peak seating can be difficult: multiple groups describe substantial waits or being seated after later arrivals, especially with larger parties.
• Service is inconsistent rather than uniformly poor; several diners report missed refills, delayed orders, or brusque interactions during crowded visits.
• Value is generally supported by portions, but a recent diner found a simple specialty breakfast reached $36 before tax and tip once drinks and extras were included.
• Delivery may not represent the dine-in experience: one recent order was criticized for weak presentation and poor texture, while a separate review reported cash-only and weekend ordering limitations.

Location Insights

Area vibe: Coastal, suburban commercial strip near the beach with a relaxed, family-oriented vibe.

Safety: Generally safe and well-lit with steady daytime and evening foot and car traffic, usual beach-town caution at night.

What's nearby: Close to Redondo Beach pier, Riviera Village, commuter routes (Pacific Coast Hwy), shops and beach access.

Opening Hours

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